Clint Murphy  00:09

Are you focused on your career focused on making as much money as possible? What if I told you that was a mistake? Have you ever thought of changing your focus to a life well lived? 

Clint Murphy  00:25

On a past episode of the growth guide podcast, my guest, Vanessa Loder shared something with me. She talked about the concept of building your resume versus building your eulogy. It’s a powerful idea. And it got me thinking deeply about how we live our lives and what we prioritize. 

Clint Murphy  00:44

While I was reflecting on her words, I came across a quote by Kevin Kelly, another guest I’ve had on the podcast. And he added even more depth to the concept. What he said was : Before you’re old, attend as many funerals as you can bear and listen. Nobody talks about the departed’s achievements. The only thing people remember is what kind of person you were while you were achieving. 

Clint Murphy  01:12

Let’s take a step back and focus on what Vanessa and Kevin are getting at. 

Even the idea of pausing and taking a step back is foreign to many of us. We’re always moving forward, focused on the default path: job title, salary, career, net worth, a new sports car, a bigger and better house, the next best thing. 

Clint Murphy  01:38

We’re so focused on the resume build, we don’t notice life is passing us by. We don’t see what we’re missing right in front of our faces. Whether it’s our partner falling out of love with us day by day, or our children losing the sparkle in their eye when they see us because we’ve been too absent, and we’re not their superhero any more. It could even be the 20 pounds we put on one pound per year for 20 years, barely noticing it add up till it’s too late. 

Clint Murphy  02:14

I’ve done all of these. Let me share a personal story. At my lowest point. I was depressed, purposeless, a bad father, poor husband, a fat couch potato. But I was getting promoted, I was making more and more money. My net worth was reaching levels I’d ever imagined. My wife and I were going to build our dream house in the city. Everything was going right until everything, everything was going horribly wrong. In the course of two years, two things happened. My son stopped saying I love you and looking me in the eye and I was burned out so badly, I had to get medical help. The burnout and medical help hurt but nothing has ever hurt me more in life than the look in my son’s eyes. When I asked him the reason he wouldn’t say I love you or look at me was because I work too much. He looked at me with tears in his eyes before looking away and nodding his head up and down slowly, a few times. I was building a dream resume and it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered to me, my family was falling apart. That meant I needed to make a change. 

Clint Murphy  03:21

And this is where building a eulogy comes in. When you focus on building your eulogy, your priorities shift to legacy, purpose, experiences, relationships, personal growth, values and beliefs, building memories, the contributions and impacts you have on others lives. It becomes less about what you have and more about how you live. Since that moment, I haven’t been perfect. We’re all works in progress. I’m still focused on money, I’m still focused on my career, I’m still focused on building my business and brand. But my priorities aren’t the same. My priority stack is completely different. It’s focused on mental health, physical health, my wife and my boys, extended family and friends and then it’s focused on my business, brand, career and finances. 

Clint Murphy  04:12

I’m on a path to step away from the career grind to building my own business as an entrepreneur where I can add value to my community and to the people on my team. Nothing will ever take priority again over my health, my family or my relationships. After all, the days may go slow, but the years go by faster and faster. So as you go through your week, think about what you’re building. Are you focusing on your resume or your eulogy? The answer could change everything. If you like the podcast, you’ll love our newsletter, the growth guide every Thursday straight to your inbox with the goal to help you be better To achieve more in become financially free, check it out at our website, the growth dot guide, subscribe and learn more