This week my Uncle David Goates’ Dad passed away. His name is L. Brent Goates, here is his beautiful obituary.
I only knew this man a little bit, saw him at extended family gatherings throughout my life, he didn’t even know my name or who I was, but why would that matter? He had many grand and great grandchildren to account for in the Goates family of extreme success and prosperity, and he was beloved, revered, and respected by all who knew him.
Even though it doesn’t matter really to anyone but me that I’ll be at his funeral, I will definitely be there. Not just to pay homage to a great man, not just in support of my cousins and their patriarch, but because I go to as many funerals as possible. I generally don’t like work meetings, business meetings, although I do events for a living and enjoy my work, if there is any kind of meeting I make sure never to miss it’s the funeral of someone I know or have some connection to.
Funerals change my business and can change yours as well, here’s how and why:
- At what other time do you just sit and listen to people talk about the great life someone has lived, their talents, gifts, signature moves?
- When do we get to collectively grieve and support one another, while contemplating our own existence in a place of safety and love?
- What better way to make new promises to ourselves to be better, work smarter, not harder, and devote time to family, and not just leaving a legacy, but living one?
- Ask yourself: Am I spending time doing the right things in my business, or could I hire someone to do those things I shouldn’t be doing in order to ensure I do what I’m on this earth to do?
- Nothing re-commits us to The Promise we originally set out to accomplish when we began our work, career, or business, as does the death of someone we know.
My goal here isn’t to be morbid or shout that the sky is falling. Far from it. Funerals are a time to reset for all of us to reconsider our lives, our place in humanity, the difference we will make with the remaining hours we are blessed with, the promises we’ve broken, the ones we need to mend.
There are few celebrations of life like a funeral. In fact, that’s a better term for it than “funeral”….“Celebration of Life” is much cooler.
Funerals will change the way you look at relationships, engagement, and others, since in the end everyone mostly just talks about how much the person eulogized meant to them and served others. What service have you delivered lately of true significance?
I hope you aren’t facing a tragic loss of a loved one, but if there is an opportunity to attend one meeting that will change your business, do whatever you can to go to the next funeral, I promise you will come away a different and better person. And in turn, it will change your life as you recapture some lost time.
God bless you, my brother Brent Goates.
~ jason hewlett
Jason Hewlett, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame, is a Keynote Speaker for the largest corporate events in the world. His primary message, The Promise, is essential for Leadership, Management, Sales, Marketing, Direct-Sales Companies, and is a combination of engagement and entertainment meets inspiration. Jason has even received standing ovations from IT guys. He has been acknowledged as life-changing by Conference Attendees, C-Level Executives and Hollywood Elite. jasonhewlett.com
Please click here to learn about how Jason Hewlett, Speaker Hall of Fame, introduces the opportunity for you, or someone you love, to have the gift of learning how to create a Career From the Stage and begin moving toward fulfilling a lifelong dream as a full-time speaker, performer, or entertainer.
To hire Jason to speak at your next event, inspire and uplift, entertain and engage, please contact Karen Harris at jasonbookings@cmispeakers.com