New York Times columnist David Brooks introduced the concept of “resume virtues” vs. “eulogy virtues.”
Resume virtues, Brooks says, are the traits and accomplishments that make us good at our jobs. This includes things such as our education, our work ethic and our experience.
Eulogy virtues, on the other hand, are the things that people will say about us when we die. These can include qualities such as kindness and loyalty.
Brooks’ theory is that most of us spend more time on our resume virtues than our eulogy virtues, which might be a mistake. That’s especially true for those of us who are growing older. As our work lives wind down, we should concentrate more on eulogy virtues. Otherwise, people might not even come to our funerals.
I was talking to a group of college students the other day, and I found myself saying, “Most successful people in my experience share two traits: They’re smart and nice.”