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Writing Your Own Obituary
Imagine your death 40 years from now. Write the obituary you'd want read. Reveals purpose.
Goal
Beat "empty daily achievements" urge by forcing yourself to see life from its end.
Steps
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1
Set 90 min. Quiet place. Paper + pen.
Expected Outcome
Immediate
You discover gap between current life and life you'd be proud of. Awareness is painful but illuminating.
Evidence base
School: Existential Psychology / Mortality Awareness
Founders: Stephen Covey · Ernest Becker · Ed Diener (1989)
Coined by Stephen Covey in "7 Habits" (1989). Built on Ernest Becker's "The Denial of Death" (1973). Mortality Salience research shows it reduces shallow goal pursuit.
Keywords
Frequently asked questions
How long does "Writing Your Own Obituary" take?
This exercise takes about 90 minutes, practiced solo in a Journaling format.
When will I notice the effect of "Writing Your Own Obituary"?
You discover gap between current life and life you'd be proud of. Awareness is painful but illuminating. In the short term: Within 2 months, you start small changes. Don't wait "right time". Death doesn't wait.
Is "Writing Your Own Obituary" evidence-based?
Yes — it draws on Existential Psychology / Mortality Awareness (Stephen Covey, Ernest Becker, Ed Diener (1989)). Coined by Stephen Covey in "7 Habits" (1989). Built on Ernest Becker's "The Denial of Death" (1973). Mortality Salience research shows it reduces shallow goal pursuit.
Is "Writing Your Own Obituary" suitable for beginners?
Its difficulty level is: Advanced. No external tools required — it can be practiced directly inside the app.
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