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While spending my lazy Sunday evening taking some time to recuperate, I was inspired by something particularly worthy of sharing -- an article by a business mentor and coach in Vancouver, who I follow and read diligently as I try to build my career (and blog.)
"What is your legacy?" the question asked, along with a photo (pictured at the right) photograph that loudly proclaims "Keep Calm And Stay Focused."
Legacy: "Something that someone has achieved that continues to exist after they stop working or die" -(As defined by MacmillandDictionary)
Exactly what I needed to hear on a Sunday -- the day of the week I spend organizing my upcoming week, and gathering myself for the work that will come first thing Monday. For a writer, this often means completing random bits of work like gathering research or spending 4 hours setting up a new client, etc.
Back to the question, though.
Everyone wants to have a thrilling, spectacular legacy. It’s what you leave behind in the world that people will remember you by, in this sense of the word "legacy," anyways.
"I’ve become an agent of change using social media so if one man can make a difference and it’s me, that is what I’d want to be remembered for while others may think passing a viable business onto their children is a great legacy. It is as long as your kids see it as their vision and focus."
That simple question "what is your legacy," and the following brief paragraph had me pondering my own answer all day long.
I've always known that I wanted to be remembered as a good person, but I haven't ever really given this legacy stuff any deep thought. Until now.
And now that I have, I've conjured up a long, detailed list of the many ways I want to be remembered, and what I want to be remembered for.
Take the famous Mother Theresa, for example. Just think of the legacy that woman left behind.
A legacy that will never, ever die. It will reach every generation until the end of time, and probably then some. Mother Theresa was like the ultimate do-gooder, the ultimate "good" human being that I think, somewhere within all of us, we strive to be like.
As a matter of fact, while pondering the legacy question, I arrived at another conclusion of my own -- I think all of us humans have a natural inclination towards being what most consider to be a "good" human being. One who's kind, compassionate, loving. One who does these things solely from the heart, without thinking of what they may get in return.
It's easy to make decisions based around what we might get out of it, but to really do things from your heart only...
There's nothing better, in my opinion.
That is what I want to be my own legacy, if I had to sum it all up in one easy nut-shell, which is next-to-impossible.
However, I was hard-pressed to leave my ponderings at that.
This very question has lingered in my mind through every activity I've engaged in today from the moments spent with my spouse to the moments spent working as a freelance writer.
It had me thinking on what I want to be remembered as in each of those areas.
And to tell you the truth, it's the best thing I've done for myself in... as far as I can remember.
This simple question has put every aspect of my life into a whole new perspective for me. One that hopefully, this is only the beginning of.
Now, I leave you with the same question.
Some areas you may want to ponder on are spiritual, business/career, love life, family, relationships, and even the emotional and physical aspects of your life. Try documenting, on paper, your findings as you think on these aspects and answer the question for each area. See what you come up with, and over time, you can add-to your "list," or change it all together as your life changes.
I truly believe this will be a life-changing exercise, especially if you can discipline yourself enough to really get in there and think about this topic more than just once. Perhaps once a week, every Sunday night, for example? This is likely the schedule I'll develop myself.
Don't forget to share your own "ponderin's" with me in the comments section. I'd love to know what you come up with.
"What is your legacy?" the question asked, along with a photo (pictured at the right) photograph that loudly proclaims "Keep Calm And Stay Focused."
Legacy: "Something that someone has achieved that continues to exist after they stop working or die" -(As defined by MacmillandDictionary)
Exactly what I needed to hear on a Sunday -- the day of the week I spend organizing my upcoming week, and gathering myself for the work that will come first thing Monday. For a writer, this often means completing random bits of work like gathering research or spending 4 hours setting up a new client, etc.
Back to the question, though.
Everyone wants to have a thrilling, spectacular legacy. It’s what you leave behind in the world that people will remember you by, in this sense of the word "legacy," anyways.
"I’ve become an agent of change using social media so if one man can make a difference and it’s me, that is what I’d want to be remembered for while others may think passing a viable business onto their children is a great legacy. It is as long as your kids see it as their vision and focus."
That simple question "what is your legacy," and the following brief paragraph had me pondering my own answer all day long.
I've always known that I wanted to be remembered as a good person, but I haven't ever really given this legacy stuff any deep thought. Until now.
And now that I have, I've conjured up a long, detailed list of the many ways I want to be remembered, and what I want to be remembered for.
Take the famous Mother Theresa, for example. Just think of the legacy that woman left behind.
A legacy that will never, ever die. It will reach every generation until the end of time, and probably then some. Mother Theresa was like the ultimate do-gooder, the ultimate "good" human being that I think, somewhere within all of us, we strive to be like.
As a matter of fact, while pondering the legacy question, I arrived at another conclusion of my own -- I think all of us humans have a natural inclination towards being what most consider to be a "good" human being. One who's kind, compassionate, loving. One who does these things solely from the heart, without thinking of what they may get in return.
It's easy to make decisions based around what we might get out of it, but to really do things from your heart only...
There's nothing better, in my opinion.
That is what I want to be my own legacy, if I had to sum it all up in one easy nut-shell, which is next-to-impossible.
However, I was hard-pressed to leave my ponderings at that.
This very question has lingered in my mind through every activity I've engaged in today from the moments spent with my spouse to the moments spent working as a freelance writer.
It had me thinking on what I want to be remembered as in each of those areas.
And to tell you the truth, it's the best thing I've done for myself in... as far as I can remember.
This simple question has put every aspect of my life into a whole new perspective for me. One that hopefully, this is only the beginning of.
Now, I leave you with the same question.
Some areas you may want to ponder on are spiritual, business/career, love life, family, relationships, and even the emotional and physical aspects of your life. Try documenting, on paper, your findings as you think on these aspects and answer the question for each area. See what you come up with, and over time, you can add-to your "list," or change it all together as your life changes.
I truly believe this will be a life-changing exercise, especially if you can discipline yourself enough to really get in there and think about this topic more than just once. Perhaps once a week, every Sunday night, for example? This is likely the schedule I'll develop myself.
Don't forget to share your own "ponderin's" with me in the comments section. I'd love to know what you come up with.
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