Write your own obituary!

Discover what truly matters by reflecting on your life’s meaning

Growth
This task helps you gain perspective on your life by imagining how it might be remembered. By writing your own obituary, you’ll clarify your values, reflect on what gives your life meaning, and consider what changes you might want to make.
Author

Ben Whalley

Writing your own obituary might sound morbid, but can be a powerful tool for self-reflection and life planning.

This technique, studied by psychologist Andrew Bland, helps people move beyond surface-level goals to discover their deeper values and authentic aspirations. Students who complete this exercise often report initial discomfort followed by a profound shift in perspective—greater appreciation for life, clearer sense of purpose, and motivation to live more intentionally.

The process works by helping you step outside your day-to-day concerns and see your life from a broader perspective. What would you want people to remember about you? What kind of person do you want to have been? What legacy do you want to leave?

This connects well with other growth activities—if you’ve done the career planning task, you might notice how your core values show up in both exercises.

Instructions

This exercise has three parts. Find a quiet space where you won’t be interrupted for about 45 minutes.

Part 1: Preparation (5 minutes)

Sit quietly and imagine you are much older, looking back on your life. Someone who knows you well is going to write your obituary. This person understands not just what you accomplished, but what your life meant: how you lived, what you valued, how you treated others, what you contributed and so on.

Take a few deep breaths and allow yourself to think about your life as a complete story.

Part 2: Write your obituary (25 minutes)

Write your obituary as if written by someone who knew you well. Focus on the meaning of your life rather than just listing achievements. Consider:

  • What kind of person were you?
  • What values guided your choices?
  • How did you grow and change over your lifetime?
  • What did you contribute to others’ lives?
  • What challenges did you overcome?
  • What brought you joy and fulfillment?

Keep it to less than one page. Don’t worry about making it perfect. Focus on what feels authentic and meaningful to you.

Part 3: Reflection (15 minutes)

After writing, reflect on the experience:

  • What feelings came up as you wrote this?
  • What surprised you about what you wrote?
  • How does this connect to your current choices and priorities?
  • What does this make you want to change or focus on in your life right now?

Recording your work

Create a short reflection (written or voice note) that includes:

  1. A brief summary of the main themes that emerged in your obituary
  2. What this exercise revealed about your values and priorities
  3. One specific way this reflection might influence your choices going forward

Submit your reflection to Psybot for feedback