I look at my life in three distinct time periods (so, a hockey analogy as opposed to my standard football one). The first 25+ years were about investing in myself – the focus on growing, maturing, being educated, becoming an adult, building a strong mind and body; and starting a career and being a contributing citizen to society. The next 25+ years were about investing in my family – marriage, fatherhood, mentoring my children and all the roles that came with building the foundation of a home; and being a significant wage earner to provide.

This third and final phase is about my investing in others. Mentoring, motivating, building connections, raising the tide for all; establishing a better tomorrow. It's about multiplying my influence and becoming more useful to God and others – whomever I can be neighbor to.

It isn't centered on legacy, but leaving a legacy becomes the byproduct.

Let’s imagine we are attending our own funeral.Not in a morbid way.
Sitting quietly in the back of the church while family, friends, coworkers and neighbors stand up one by one to give a eulogy.What do we hope they say?
They are not going to list our positions and job titles.Nor how much money we made. They are going to discuss who we were.How we moved and inspired them. 
They are going to discuss - not our doing – but our being.

New York Times columnist David Brooks wrote about the difference between “résumé virtues” and “eulogy virtues.” Résumé virtues are professional and oriented toward earthly success – things I have done in my first two periods. They require comparison with others. Eulogy virtues are ethical and spiritual and require no comparison. Eulogy virtues are what we would want people to talk about at our funeral. Résumé virtues versus Eulogy virtues. One gets us hired. The other gets us remembered.

Eulogy virtues, although they should be a part of our early life, ought to be the focus of our final third. The opportunity to share gifts and make a difference in the world around us is one of the most profoundly fulfilling experiences we can have in life. Our kindness will outlive us.

Some of us can become attached, even addicted, to earthly rewards, to the chase we got up every morning to pursue, and our resume virtues.
Even to the point of living in yesterday's successes. We spent decades chasing: Promotions, Achievements, Recognition, Bigger titles, Bigger paychecks. None are bad.They're simply incomplete.

Instead of asking, "What can I accomplish?" ask "What can I multiply?"
We need to shift from a mindset of Achievement to a mindset of Investment
The story of Elijah and his mentorship of Elisha is a great example of refocusing one’s efforts on being a teacher and not a doer. Elijah, considered by many to be the greatest prophet in salvation history, played the role of mentor to Elisha’s protégé. Elisha went on to perform twice as many miracles as Elijah, yet it is Elijah that is more widely remembered and exalted.

Paul’s second letter to Timothy, written late in Paul’s life, is considered one of Paul’s “Pastoral Epistles” because it is related to Timothy’s work as a pastor caring for the community under his charge. Paul is mentoring Timothy: “So you, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well.” 

Stay focused on the "why" not the “how.” Where there’s a vision, I call it a ‘Why’; there also needs to be a process, or a ‘How’.  A vision implies we have a view of where we want to get to; but it doesn’t necessarily mean we know exactly the path to get us there. There can be lots of paths. According to a study, 70% of all successful new businesses end up with a strategy different than the one they initially pursued. There are a gazillion methods and tactics, but there are very few whys.  When we have a vision and believe in it, we see the discovery and growth amidst the daily grind and maybe even chaos.  Once we know our why, there will be a how. We then have to trust that process, in the day to day. The greatest example of this complete principle is Jesus himself.  His vision was on the Father and fulfilling His promise to us.  He achieved His vision despite significant circumstances, and His process was one of daily prayer.

Give More Than We Keep. Not because we're finished. Because we're needed. For my final third I adopted a “reverse bucket list.” My goal is to give things away. Things like: Wisdom, Encouragement, Experience, Time. How can I give it away? Mentoring; Serving; Blogging, Podcasting, speaking, writing. As Jimmy Buffet sang in his song “Souvenirs” – “Someone wants a piece of you; Never let 'em pay; What you do not give them; Time takes anyway.” Turning away someone that needs help – whether they ask for it or not -  is self-centered.  Matthew 5:42 “Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

The first part of life asks, "What can I accomplish?" and then "What can I preserve?"
But the final season asks a better question: "What can I multiply?" “What can I give away that will outlive me?” Because God rarely measures success by what we accumulate or accomplish. He measures faithfulness by what we invest.
Jesus spent only three years in public ministry.  He wasn't in a hurry.He wasn't chasing personal significance. He invested deeply.Loved intentionally.Prepared others. And changed the world.

If we're going to finish well...we'll do the same. Not by chasing résumé virtues...but by building eulogy virtues. Not by accumulating more...but by giving more away. Because in God's Kingdom, our greatest achievements are rarely what we accomplish; they're the people we help become who God created them to be.

Paul writes: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith..." Paul wasn't trying to keep racing forever, nor does he tell us in what place did he finish. He also didn't merely finish. He finished faithfully. That's an important distinction. I intend to finish this final third well.

Let’s make sure we are doing our part and trust we will set the world on fire. Let’s answer the call, let’s finish well, and make a difference in His Kingdom. Rejoice and Godspeed