My Upcoming Book on “Prequests”

Some have asked what my book is about and what is a “prequest.”

Throughout my life, I’ve received a lot of help and support from many people. When I sat down to write my will, I made a list of close friends, people who had significantly changed my life (Ayn Rand and Leonard Peikoff are at the top of the list), and those I admire. In my will, I wanted to express my gratitude and admiration. I ended up with a short list of 20 people (I’ve had a whole lot of help throughout my life, and there’s a lot I’m grateful for).

Having a will presents two problems for me: I’m planning on/working on living to 120 (that number is thanks to Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach and the Attia Medical longevity program). For some beneficiaries of my will, that’s too long to wait. And secondly, there’s no fun for me in people enjoying a bequest after I’m dead. I won’t see what people do with it and how the bequest may affect their lives.

To deal with these two issues—living to 120 and then being dead—I decided to make “prequests.” (“Prequest” is a new word; amazingly, it’s not in the dictionary or on Google.)

A prequest brings a bequest forward in time. A prequest allows me to present a bequest in person and express personally (rather than in a cold lawyer’s office) my appreciation, gratitude, and admiration (and sometimes love) to the recipient. It allows me to offer the bequest while I’m living and can enjoy it.

A prequest has no strings. It is granted and paid as if I’m dead and gone. There are, however, two requirements before it is funded:

1. A beneficiary engages in happiness planning (with a coach I provide) and then presents a Happiness Plan. (There’s a long story about that, which will be in the book.)
2. A beneficiary creates a Financial Plan (how the funds will be banked or invested).

In effect, bequests/prequests become happiness grants.

After having fun making prequests over the last 18 months, I came to think this was something worth writing about, and it particularly appealed to me to write about gratitude, happiness planning, and happiness itself. I believe I have something important to offer.

So that’s the essence of what the book will be about.