Philip, the father of Alexander the Great, thought one way. Louis XIV, thought differently. Both were lucky enough to be crowned as King. Philip, a Macedonian, who probably lacked formal education and proper manners, thought “early and often” about his eventual death. In fact, he hired a servant to remind him daily of his mortality. The servants job was to utter these words each day at daybreak to his King. “Philip, you will die.”
France’s Louis XIV, thought differently. During his reign as King he decreed that the word “death” not be spoken in his presence. Louis was not alone in his fear of death. According to research done by Don Brown, and covered in his book, Human Universals, we are all afraid of the same thing – Death. Yet most of us spend little time thinking about our mortality. We hear countless motivational speakers tell us to “begin with the end in mind” or something like that, yet few of us really do, especially regarding our own “end” in mind. Why?
What is it you want said about your life?
Do you know what you believe about the big questions of life?
Have you authored your WORLDVIEW, or do you merely parrot others?
Are you living your life as if 2015 is your end? Why?
Are you more like Philip or Louis?
Am I bugging you? Good. Let this rant serve as an irritant reminder. Great lives don’t obsess about the end and great lives don’t freak out about the fact that they’ll someday be gone. Great lives are lived through the seasons and embracing the transition or hinge moments, if you will. Great lives, as Solomon observed, recognize the gift of life and the giver as well. How ’bout you? By the way, you are living better than either King Philip or Louis. You are getting this, aren’t you? Good…
BUILT TO LEAD 