Imagine this happening to you…
You wake up one morning to discover that you are dead. Well, not actually dead. Yet, your local newspaper reports your death and runs your obituary.
You are reading your own obituary! Weird…
Actually, this is not as rare as you may think.
This has happened several times over the years.
When his cousin died, a reporter thought it was the famed writer. Mark Twain wrote, “The report of my death has been greatly exaggerated.”
Same for Alfred Nobel.
His brother had recently died, and at least one publication got confused and announced that the inventor of dynamite had died, saying that “The Merchant of Death Is Dead.”
He really hated that others saw him that way. And would remember him that way.
He spent the rest of his life making sure he would be remembered for the things that meant the most to him. He established the Nobel Peace Prize to champion what he valued most, while he was living… and after he was gone.
In effect, he rewrote his obituary. His legacy!
A great memory from my childhood was climbing Giants Head Mountain with my sister, Lana, and Grandpa Joe back in the early 80’s. I cherished this photo of us on the “Tree”… and have taken my family back to this spot a number of times.
My grandpa was no mountaineer… but he knew this mountain was special! So he planted a seed with his grandkids and it has marked his legacy in my eyes as a man of family, nature and adventure. And we love to visit our Family Tree! Forever cementing his legacy in my eyes.
How do you want to be remembered? Will your current wealth plan ensure that you will be remembered for what you value most?
If not, rewrite it… and your obituary.
We can help. Give us a call
It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.
— Eleanor Roosevelt
