If today was your last day…
February 10, 2014 by Paul Mallett
If you are a licensed life insurance professional, you understand how uncomfortable some folks can get when you bring up the topic of death. At the risk of triggering a similar reaction from you, I ask:
Would you do anything differently if you knew today was going to be your last day?
After you got over the initial shock and the “why” questions, my guess is your thoughts would immediately shift to the people and things in your life that have had the greatest impact.
Your family
Will they be OK when you’re gone?
Obviously they are in for a difficult emotional transition. Nothing can change that. They love you. They’ll grieve for you and miss you dearly, but have you done all you can to prepare them financially? Have you walked the talk, and created the same strong, proactive financial and legacy plan that you help your clients create?
Your clients
How well have you prepared them to understand and take control of their financial futures? Have you helped them understand the products you have sold them? Have you taken care to set them up with products and strategies that require a level of oversight suitable for their level of engagement and comprehension? Have you kept and provided excellent documentation of their holdings that can easily be turned over to whoever steps in as their next advisor?
Your practice
What happens to your business the day after your funeral? Will your assistant or other colleagues now be out of work? Do you have a succession plan in place? Have you targeted high-potential individuals in your own organization? Your family? Have you made your intentions known, and taken steps to prepare those individuals for this day?
Your friends
Have you spent as much time with those special people in your life as you should have? Do they know how important they are to you? Were you there for them when they needed you? Have you left them with an ample supply of great memories to fill the vacuum left by your departure?
Your adversaries
Adversary may be a strong word, but everyone has someone who has wronged them, or whom they have wronged. Have you made the effort to bury the hatchet? Have you forgiven those that have wronged you, and asked forgiveness from those you have wronged? The peace that comes from doing so is far more beneficial to you than them. Trust me.
Your dreams
Have you left any of your dreams on the table? Do you have any unfinished business? Studies have shown that folks approaching death have far more remorse over the things they did not do, than those they did. Building a successful practice and making a good living are very important, but the real value in life is in the little things. What have you always dreamed of doing? Equally as important, what are some things your loved ones have always dreamed of doing that may have been pushed aside due to your busy schedule?Your legacy
How do you want to be remembered? What do you want people to say about you after you’re gone?
- “Joe worked harder than anyone I know.”
- “Helen had the most beautiful house I have ever seen.”
I recently lost a friend that was one of the most giving and caring people I have ever met. He was well known in the community for his tireless commitment to both his personal beliefs and to those around him. He left some very big shoes to fill, and the loss will be felt for a long time to come. What’s your legacy? What kind of path have you left for others to follow?
This may seem like a pretty grim message, but it’s not meant to be. Life gets crazy sometimes. The urgent has a way of pushing aside the important. Sometimes, a wake-up call is in order. Life is precious and short. Cherish it. Don’t take tomorrow for granted.
Schedule some time to reflect on your legacy. Put it in your calendar. Create the framework for a proactive succession plan. Brainstorm with your team to come up with ideas to improve understanding and engagement with your less savvy clients. Review your own financial and estate plans. Go do some of those things on your bucket list.
Your friends, family, colleagues and clients will appreciate it.
“Live every day as if it were going to be your last; for one day you’re sure to be right.” — Harry Moran