Even if death doesn't mean the end of life per se, it seems to represent a shift in our existence that is shaped by our deeds and frame of mind in this present life. The specter of an eternity of torment in hell can be profoundly discouraging, while the promise of a ticket to heaven may seem about as likely as winning the state lottery. Here too, esoteric teachings offer insights. Thus the value of prayers for the dead, and the promise of liberation for those who maintain their connectedness with the Absolute. All of which sounds rather rarified to most of us and still leaves us wondering as to what attitude to take towards our own impending death.
Gleeful anticipation seems rather optimistic, yet morbid dread seems self-defeating.
My own solution may be naive, but it is the best I have to offer at this point. And that is, unremarkably enough, simply do the best you can and leave the outcome to God's mercy. A life of good deeds that are performed with the intention of eternal felicity may rank no higher in the final estimate than a life of well-meaning mistakes that are sincerely undertaken with no grand goal in mind. I am of the school that assumes, perhaps heretically, that everyone is redeemed in the end - even Satan. But ultimately it is an open question.