As I get older, I get bolder. So I often ask people, even those I hardly know, the “big questions.” What are these big questions?

Here’s an example:

“Do you know where you’re going when you die? How can you be sure?”

Another one of my favorites, and much less intimidating by the way is:

“If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do with today?”

The answer to that question, if people have a chance to ponder it at all, will reveal what the person really cares about. So will their checkbook registry. Where your money goes tells a lot about what you really care about.

The enigma of it all is that even though we are created to write and live our own victorious life stories, and we are all hard-wired to strive for great things and build great relationships–so many of us settle for living unexamined lives, with neither victory nor defeat. Most older people I meet today are simply looking forward to the day when they will retire–yet they seem to be already retired in place! Most younger people’s biggest goal is just to “be rich someday.” Those don’t do it for me today. I want to always serve and never really retire, and the job I choose to do today pays 1/3 of what I used to make, yet I love it!

See, one of the wonderful side effects of a body for life transformation is the opportunity to recognize the enormous value of your life, and the tragedy of just living it out day to day, neither giving or getting anything truly phenomenal out of it. Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that every day has to be either Disneyland or a war movie. We need to live ordered and prudent lives, with plenty of structure and rest. What I’m talking about, though, is aimlessness. A life that has no real goals and no real progress in it, is really not life but a slow version of death. Every person should be focused on two things: having goals, and leaving a legacy.

Having goals is a simple–but not easy–thing to do. Body for Life almost requires great goals to ensure a good finish. You get used to formulating and aiming at goals if you are a transformer, and you know them and can articulate them well. These goals keep you focused, intentional, and effective.

Leaving a legacy is more about vision. To leave a legacy you have to intentionally understand and get to know the people who are in your sphere of influence. This means your family, your organizations, your neighborhood, and your workplaces. Then, you need to intentionally undertake relationships deep enough to help people achieve goals, to aim higher, and to strive harder. You need to be there when they fail or fall, and to help pick them up. You need to encourage them, empower them, and let them know that they are of immense value and deeply loved. You cannot and should not even try to reach them all. It’s too big a job. Try to reach those who one day will try to reach others. That’s what a legacy is, something that is given to another to be passed on, over and over.

Body for Life, and your transformation, will help you to build into others’ lives. It will give you the strength and courage to reach them and help them get better. Body for Life will help you earn the right to try to help them. Most of all, it will give you the secure assurance that you are living the kind of life that pleases your Creator and you as well. In a word, it will bring you great JOY!

So, if you’re new at this and all this seems so complicated or far away, trust me. The first step is simply to accept the body for life challenge, read the book, and get on your way. You’ll understand all of this before you finish that challenge.