Aren't You More Than That?

I was on a course and the trainer asked us to write what we'd want written on our tombstone.

"Oh, god," someone said, and laughed nervously.

I think having that written on your tombstone could be seen as arrogant, but I suppose nobody speaks ill of the dead.

I was excited because I knew it would make me think about what was truly important. Surprisingly excited. Like I'd been putting it off.

The other day I thought, "I want a gold chain. A long one. Because then I'll look cool."

I don't want "Matt had a long, cool, gold chain" written on my tombstone. I don't want anyone to say that at my funeral. Unless they're joking. I want people to joke at my funeral.

As I was writing I realized Steve Jobs was right:

"Almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure -- these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."

I wrote mine quickly and I smiled because I was happy with it. I was happy with my tombstone. That's worth a smile.

The trainer asked us to look at what we'd read, and read it again, and think about how happy we were with it.

"Yeah, I'm happy with that," I thought. "Really happy, actually."

It was who I was. It was everything I wanted to be remembered for. Of course I was really happy with it.

He asked us to read over it again, one more time, to see how happy we were with it. He asked us to look at it, and feel it, and make it part of us.

Everyone said they were happy. We were pleased with ourselves.

He stood at the front of the room. He was still. He glanced through all of us.

"Aren't you more than that?"

I'd just written the perfect tombstone and he'd broken it with one blow.

I laughed because I never expected that but there was only one answer.

"Yeah, I am," I thought.

I went deeper. Into who I was, who I really was, who all of me was.

I rewrote my tombstone but I wasn't excited.

I was still smiling but it was a knowing smile.

I felt more but less.

I felt whole.

I felt peace.

Every time I've asked myself that question, and every time I've asked someone else that question, there's only been one answer.

"Yes."

That's remarkable.

Well, actually, if every single person gives the same answer then it's not remarkable.

It's who we are.

Are we always more?

I hope so.

Because even when I've achieved all I want to achieve, even when I've achieved more than I thought I ever could achieve, even when the space in every atom of who I am is filled with me, and only me... I'm more.

Who are you? Who are you really? If you were all of who you really are, what would happen?

Imagine it. See it in front of you. You have everything you've ever wanted. You live where you want to live, do what you want to do, see who you want to see, be who you want be. Feel it. Be there. Make it real. Make it irresistible. Make it so the only smart choice is to come back to the now and create it.

Good. Now come back here and read the next line.

Aren't you more than that?