A popular exercise for finding purpose or what’s important to you is to imagine that you only have one year left to live. What would you do? What would you do if you only had 24 hours to live? 8 hours?

I have tried this exercise several times and never found it practical or enlightening. All I want to do is be with my wife, two dogs, and nature. I would also probably go on a “death tour” visiting friends and family for the last time.

Those activities are absolutely worthwhile, but what if you are looking for more activation or agency or vigor to your life? Will you find meaning and purpose with the context of death in the forefront of your mind? Perhaps. But I think if you knew your expiration date was within a year, bringing closure—not more agency—to your life would be of utmost importance.

Let’s flip this idea on its head and change the context.

What would you do if you were immortal? How would you shape your life if you could never die? What would you do then? The immortal context is more of an initiation. It gets you thinking about how you want to grow your life in meaningful ways rather than close out your life.

You may at first, however, consider a life of debauchery, possessions, money, and gluttony. But after 100 years or so, those worldly pleasures would weigh heavy like a stone. you will eventually focus on your hearts desire and live in immortal life of sewing love and beauty into the world.

Go ahead and try it. Make your immortality bucket list. If you could live forever, what would you do? Come up with 100 ideas. Why 100? Because you have to get past the ideas of debauchery, right?