The Illusion of Success and The Reality of Death
The story of a powerful king on his deathbed is one of the most profound parables about the meaning of life. Having conquered kingdoms, amassed unimaginable wealth, and achieved legendary fame, he found himself, in his final moments, preoccupied not with what he had gained, but with what he would ultimately lose. His last three wishes were not for more riches or longer life, but were a carefully crafted final message to his people—and to us. This king was Alexander the Great, and his last acts were his greatest legacy, designed to shatter our illusions about success, possession, and purpose.
The Three Final Commands
As the king felt his life slipping away, he summoned his most trusted ministers. He presented them with three specific, and seemingly strange, final requests that they were duty-bound to fulfill.
1. The Doctors and the Coffin
His first wish was that after his death,only the world’s finest doctors were to carry his coffin. This request baffled everyone. Why doctors, whose job is to preserve life, and not pallbearers or priests?
· The Lesson: The king wanted to make a visceral, public statement. He knew that if people saw the most brilliant medical minds carrying his body, they would be forced to confront a universal truth: No amount of expertise, money, or power can cheat death. It is the great equalizer, a fate that unites every single person, from the pauper to the king. Our control over life is an illusion.
2. The Path of Gold and Gems
His second command was to build anew path from his palace to his gravesite, paved with gold and studded with diamonds. This seemed more in line with a king’s lavish tastes, but its purpose was far deeper than mere display.
· The Lesson: This glittering path symbolized all the material wealth he had spent his life accumulating. By demanding it be built for his final journey, he demonstrated that not a single coin, gem, or asset could be taken into the afterlife. The wealth remains behind, for others to fight over or enjoy. We enter the world with nothing, and despite our lifelong struggle to acquire, we leave with nothing.
3. The Empty Hand Protruding
His final,and most poignant, instruction was to have his hand left hanging outside the coffin, visible for all to see. This was the most mysterious request of all.
· The Lesson: With this powerful image, the king drove his message home. The empty hand, open and exposed, was a silent declaration: “See? I am leaving exactly as I arrived—empty-handed.” It wasn’t a hand clutching for more gold or power; it was a hand letting go of everything it had ever held.
Decoding the Message for a Modern World
While the story is ancient, its application to our lives in the West, particularly in success-driven cultures like the USA, is immediate and powerful. We are conditioned to chase the “Alexander” dream: climb the corporate ladder, build a personal brand, acquire the house, the car, the perfect Instagram life. We measure our worth by our salary, our net worth, and our possessions.
This story reframes that entire pursuit. It asks us to look beyond the metrics of conventional success and ask a more fundamental question: If you can’t take it with you, what is the point of it all?
The king’s lesson isn’t that ambition or success is bad. Rather, it’s a warning against mistaking the accumulation of things for the meaning of life. The gold path is your career accolades, your stock portfolio, your luxury goods. The doctors represent our modern faith in science, technology, and self-optimization to delay the inevitable. The empty hand is the ultimate reality check.
What Truly Matters? Shifting Your Focus
So, if we leave everything material behind, what endures? The story guides us to invest in the intangible, the things that death cannot touch:
· Legacy of Character: How did you treat people? Were you kind, honest, and compassionate? Your character outlives you in the memories of those you touched.
· Impact and Service: What problem did you solve? Who did you help? The positive change you create in your community or the world becomes your true lasting wealth.
· Love and Relationships: The bonds you forge with family, friends, and loved ones are the only real treasures you “take with you” in the hearts of those who remember you.
· Experiences and Personal Growth: The trips you took, the skills you learned, the personal battles you overcame—these shape your soul and the stories that will be told about you.
Motivational Takeaway:
Let the king’s final lesson be your guiding principle. Chase your ambitions, build your empire, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. But never forget to look at your open hand. Regularly ask yourself: “Beyond my job title and bank account, who am I? What value do I create? What love do I share?” Build a life rich in experiences, relationships, and integrity—a life that, when you must finally let go, will have meant something far greater than the possessions you leave on your golden path.
