Jack SmallMotivational Speech Outline

Introduction:1. Attention: Bertolt Brecht, a German poet, playwright, and theater director, once said, “Do not

fear death so much but rather the inadequate life.” 2. Death is something we will all face. Regardless of your religious beliefs, it cannot be denied that

death is the end of life in the only way we know it. We cannot escape or hide from it; all we can really do is live our lives.a. Thesis: To make sure we all live a life that is truly worthwhile, I’m going to ask you to

write your own obituary. 3. First we will look at dissatisfaction of life in America and the quarter life crisis phenomenon.

Then we will examine the effects that writing your own obituary can have.

Body: We being by looking at how dissatisfied Americans are with their current situations.1. With the current economic climate, more people are dissatisfied with their jobs and lives is

acceptable in a country like America.a. According to a report done by Mercer, an outplacement and consulting firm, half of

American workers are unhappy in their current professions. The major problem is that many workers are not confident enough in the market to leave their current job and pursue the profession they wish (Rooney, “Half of Workers”. This unhappiness in the work place leads to tension, a feeling of unfulfillment, and other negative side effects.

b. Another indicator of life dissatisfaction is the emergence of the quarter life crisis. We have all probably heard of a midlife crisis, but quarterlifecrisis.com describes this phenomenon as, “a period of anxiety, uncertainty, and inner turmoil that often accompanies the transition to adulthood.” The website goes on to say that the quarter life crisis is emerging because, “it is taking longer to become an adult today…The average American hops jobs 8 times before the age of 32 and the average college graduate accrues $20,000 in educational loan debt” (quarterlifecrisis.com).

c. New college graduates are forced into a particular job situation because of these loan debts, and once those debts are paid off, they realize they are in a profession they never intended to be in.

Transition: The easiest way to avoid ending up in an unintended, unwanted career choice is to have a clear path before graduating college.

2. To ensure that we have this clear path, I’m going to ask you to write two obituaries.a. The first obituary can be written by yourself or a loved one. The idea here is to report what

would actually be in your obituary if you were to die today. i. This gives you a true sense of your accomplishments, your important relationships,

and the impact you’ve had on the world to date.b. The second obituary will be written by you alone. You must contemplate what you really

want to do in life and the legacy you want to leave behind. This obituary is essentially the one you are striving to reach.i. Completing a realistic and desirable obituary will give you a sense of what you want

to do. You will see the accomplishments you will complete, the important relationships you will form, and the impact you will have.

c. Now that you have your current obituary and the one you aspire to have, you must compare the two.i. Comparing these obituaries will allow you to see where you currently stand in your

life goals. This gives you the opportunity to take the necessary steps in order to complete your desired obituary.

d. If you aren’t happy with your current obituary, take solace in the fact that you are now aware of this. Since you are in control of your life, you are in the position to change it however you wish.

Transition: Seeing your own obituary can have a profound effect on how you view your life.

3. Alfred Nobel, now known for the Nobel Prize, was not always known for this. a. Marelisa Fabrega, a columnist for lifehack.org, writes that Alfred woke up one morning to

read his own obituary. He obviously was not dead, but his brother was and the newspaper had mistaken the two. This was before the invention of the Nobel Prize and Alfred was most famous for inventing dynamite. His obituary read, “The merchant of death is dead. Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever, died yesterday.” This wakeup call forced Alfred Nobel to dedicate most of his estate to establishing the Nobel Foundation, thereby rewriting his obituary from “the merchant of death” to one of the most well-known philanthropists of all time.

b. Nobel’s seeing of his obituary allowed him to change his legacy. i. In writing your own obituary, you have the power to see where you wish to be, and

you have the time and ability to get there.

Transition: Have you ever seen the people who love their jobs? People who are so obviously passionate about what they do for a living? Have you seen them and wished that you can get a job in a field you are truly passionate about?

Conclusion:1. I think it is so evident when someone loves what they do for a living because it makes such a

difference. Whether it be a professor, a scientist, whatever the job, it’s obvious when a person truly enjoys their profession. i. I’m going to show you a short video about a man who is so clearly passionate about his

job. Action: Show video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KQzC8K1WUI)ii. To be in a job you are so passionate about that you can cry over it, you need to know

where you truly want to go in life. By writing your obituary, you can do that.iii. As was said in one of my favorite movies, Gladiator, by Russell Crowe’s Maximus, “What

we do in life echoes in eternity.” Be sure that you are happy with what is going to be echoed.

Works Cited

“Bill Sauder’s Most Memorable Moment with Titanic Artifacts” [Video]. (April 11th, 2012). Retrieved April

18th, 2012, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KQzC8K1WUI.

Fabrega, Marelisa. "Wake-Up Call: Write Your Obituary." Your Daily Digest on Productivity and Life

Improvements. Life Hack. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/wake-

up-call-write-your-obituary.html>.

"Quarterlife Crisis - a One-stop Info-shop for Recent Grads & beyond." Quarterlife Crisis. Web. 18 Apr.

2012. <http://quarterlifecrisis.com/>.

Rooney, Ben. "Disgruntled Workers to Employers: We Are Not Happy." CNNMoney. Cable News

Network, 20 June 2011. Web. 18 Apr. 2012.

<http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/20/news/economy/workers_disgruntled/index.htm>.