Three Questions You Must Answer Before You Die

Last updated on: July 12, 2011 at 5:06 am by JBW

Three Questions You Must Answer Before You Die 2011-07-12T05:06:35-05:00 JBW

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Every now and then it’s good to take an enormous step back and evaluate where you are in life.

My friend Rob did this for me over breakfast the other day.

You’d like Rob. He is a smart, successful, energetic, forty-something investment banker. The whole package, you might say. Or, what I once assumed was the whole package, but now I know better. Anyway, I’ve gotten to know him through some business and professional dealings over the past few years, and we’ve forged a budding friendship.

Rob and I met up at an upscale diner near his home in a tony suburb of the city. I’ve often wondered what the appropriate use of the word “tony” should be when describing affluent settings. Friends, this was it.

The place was packed. This particular establishment somehow seemed to collect many of the area’s most prominent movers and shakers en route to their country clubs for morning rounds of golf. How else to explain why on earth so many casually well-dressed middle-aged men were eating breakfast at a diner at 8 am on a Thursday morning instead of working?

Rob ordered a massive breakfast. “I eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper,” he announced, all fit and trim and enthusiastic as the waitress arrived with the third course. Then he told me about his super awesome exercise routine.

After a while we got talking about more serious matters: our jobs, priorities in life, how satisfied and fulfilled we were at this point in our careers. He’s thinking about a major job transition.

Rob said that whenever he considers significant life decisions, there are three reflective questions he thinks about as a checkpoint.

1. If you won the lottery (pick a number. A very big number), what would you do?

This gets to the essence of what you really, really, really want to do with your life. The source of your dreams. This scenario blows up all the excuse-making and constraints and limitations and just says, “dude, what do you really want to do?” It’s a good litmus test to determine if you are moving towards that path in some form or fashion – even if it is only a gravelly, dusty side-track path for now – or if you are missing it altogether.

2. If you knew that you only had five years left to live – yet you would miraculously be in perfect health until the last breath – what would you do?

This gets at your priorities. In this scenario you don’t have the luxury of decades to build something, so you must concentrate on a more urgent time frame. You might as well get some level of fulfillment and joy from whatever it is that you are doing. It starts narrowing down the field.

3. If you had only 24 hours left to live, what would you regret not doing?

This is the most impactful question of all, getting to your core spiritual values. What didn’t you do with your life that you felt that you were meant to do? Maybe you should have mended a relationship. Maybe you’ve neglected your kids while pursuing your career. Or, maybe you spent too much time focusing on everyone else’s agenda, and never developed your own sense of self. You could have done more for others. Given more. Been more.

I spent yesterday afternoon talking these things over with my wife.

I don’t know. Some people think these schlocky self-help exercises only serve to keep generic motivational speakers like John Maxwell employed. But it does get right to the heart of things, doesn’t it? And look, Rob is doing this, so it must be effective, right?

Career

Decision-making

Life

Previous Post

July 8, 2011

Social Entrepreneurs: Get Ready to Change the World!

Next Post

July 15, 2011 Blogging is Stupid

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Ambition Blogging Career Culture Executive Career Development Failure Faith in the Workplace Family Feeling Stupid Leadership Managing People Purpose Reviews Spirituality Uncategorized Work-Life Balance

Select a Month November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the Christian response to being wronged?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Revenge Hold a grudge Gossip Forgive