I Gave My Parents the Best Christmas Present Ever

Last year I bought my parents the best Christmas present ever.
 
It’s called ‘Storyworth’, and it’s a really cool way to get people to tell their life story.
 
Once a week, Storyworth emails my parents a question that inspires them to write, like:
 
“What is one of the funniest things you’ve ever done?”
 
“Did you have any pets growing up?”
 
“Where were you at the moon landing?”
 
They reply to the email, and then at the end of the year their stories are bound together in a printed book to keep and treasure forever. Or at least that’s the guff on Storyworth’s sales page.
 
Unfortunately, my old man didn’t really take to it.
 
Storyworth: “Where were you at the moon landing?”
 
Dad: “At home watching it on TV.”
 
It was shaping up as not so much a book as a pamphlet.
 
My mother, on the other hand, took to it with gusto. Her Storyworth will probably be a trilogy!
 
Now, Storyworth is really just a simple way for Boomers to write their memoirs … one emailed question at a time.
 
But you, dear reader, are probably not as old as my parents.
 
In fact, you’re actually living your life right now. So what will your story be?

The key to making it a blockbuster – and not Groundhog Day – is working out what matters most.
 
The fastest way to do that is what I call the ‘funeral test’:
 
As we approach Christmas, put down your phone and spend a few minutes thinking about your own funeral. Many people (men in particular) spend much of their lives pursuing things that look impressive on their resumé: Fancy titles. Money. Power. Respect. Status trophies.
 
However, the person delivering your eulogy won’t talk about the car you drive, the title you attained, the balance of your bank account … or any of the other things society has you chasing.
 
Instead, they’ll talk about the kind things you did. The courage you showed. The difference you made.
 
Our entire lives are a story. Make yours one worth reading about.
 
Merry Christmas!
 
Tread Your Own Path!