What do you want to be remembered for at the end?
Do
you remember where you were when John F. Kennedy died? I was in a social
studies class as a senior. I would bet that the majority of readers know
exactly where they were and what they were doing even though it happened in
1964. Some people felt the same way earlier this summer when Michael Jackson
passed. Michael was a great talent and nobody can take that away from him
regardless of the fact that he did some strange things in his
life.
Death and tragedy like the events of 9-11 have a way of putting permanent marks
on our memories if not our souls. We never forget. I’ll always remember the day
I found out my Dad passed away even though I was only nine years old and hadn’t
seen him since I was five, and what I was doing when my mother passed. Death
and tragedy just seem to mark our memories with permanent ink. Their legacy
often lives on long after their passing.
Everyone, regardless of status in life, leaves some sort of legacy behind. So,
what do you want your legacy to say about you? I’ve posed that question to
countless CEOs and Presidents -“What
exactly do you want your legacy to be?”
Many have really put some thought into that question. However, I have
been disappointed in how many business leaders have really never given it much
thought.
Speaking from my personal experience and my own deep-seated feelings regarding
what I would like to be known for after I go down that retirement pathway and
even that final walk in my life, I have begun keeping a journal. I believe our
legacy is not only defined by what we accomplish in life, but more importantly,
it is defined by how we live our life and by how much we give back in the way we
treat our fellow human beings.
Maybe the fact that some famous people have recently left us can inspire you to
start thinking seriously about what your legacy is going to be. It sure has
made me stop and revisit my goals, motivations and objectives in
life.
I believe this journal I have been keeping will not only chronicle my own
personal story - my successes, my defeats, my challenges, my goals and
dreams, my own ideas and thoughts - but I believe this journal will help me
maintain focus and priority on my personal legacy. It will become something my
family can review now and into the future. I am hoping it can become one of the
more priceless collections for the family as the years roll
on.
It doesn’t matter if you are 30 years old or if you’re older than 60. Creating
your own journal can do wonders for your effectiveness as a leader. It will
help you put things in perspective. It will allow you to create focus, purpose
and clarity of vision.
No matter how old you are, people die every day and the older you get the more
you realize how short life is. Don’t squander the opportunity to work on your
personal legacy. Start doing something now that is proactive. You don’t have to
keep a journal as I suggest, but do something before it’s too
late.
Create a bucket list - a list of things you absolutely want to accomplish
before you leave this world. It is now a perfect time to begin to think
about and document what you want your legacy to be. It will help you put things
in perspective; it will add serenity to your family life that will help you
maintain balance. It could help you define who you are.
Don’t leave this world with an incomplete list. Don’t leave this world with
unfulfilled dreams. Don’t leave this world without a legacy that your family
and friends can be proud of. The pursuit of your legacy is the chase of your
lifetime. It is never too late to become what you want to become. Start doing
it now. Time may be running out.