John Stanko

For years, I struggled with the immigration forms I had to fill out when I entered another country.  It's not that the forms were that complicated.  It's just that they asked my occupation and I never knew exactly what to put down.  I have done so many things plus I never wanted to arouse undue suspicion when going into another country.  That is why I never put down "pastor" even when I was.

So I put down administrator, consultant, lecturer and teacher.  I never felt anything when I put down those roles, although they seemed to be acceptable to every agent who saw them. Then one time I put down "author" on that line and a sense of peace came over me.  I had discovered the occupation with which I wanted to be identified for the rest of my life!

Stephen Covey who wrote The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People defines the second habit as beginning with the end in mind.  To help develop this habit, he recommends that you write your funeral eulogy today, identifying what it is you want to be remembered for when you're gone.  Then Covey says that you must get busy doing what you wrote about in that eulogy.  My point is that entering author as my occupation is in some sense what I want to be remembered for; for that to happen, I must be about the business of writing.

When I wrote author on the first immigration form, I had two books.  Today I have seven books, write the weekly Monday Memo, compose my weekly online Bible studies, write for this blog site, and have written numerous articles for magazines and publications.  I have also helped many people write and publish their own material.  I am trying to live up to the reputation as an author that I have pronounced.  So far, so good.

What would you put on your immigration card as your occupation?  What is it that you would most like to be identified with or as when you're gone?   Those answers should then guide your daily decisions as to how you will use your time and invest your creative energy.  I'm glad I found my answer; let me know if I can help you find yours.

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