Many years ago I saw a movie about the legacy left behind by a certain man.
The message of the movie was impactful, and the concept of me having a legacy has stuck with me ever since. What will my legacy be? Will it be meaningful and important?
The legacy we think we leave might be based on who we think we are, but we are different things to different people. Professionally I’m known as one person, but at home to my wife and kids I’m known as something else. At church I have a reputation and with my high school buddies I have a different reputation.
When we have a job title we think of ourselves a certain way but to our neighbors and loved ones, the job title might be rather insignificant. In other words, who we are professionally (and where we spend a lot of our time) might have a very small impact on the legacy we leave.
I recently read an obituary of a career counselor that I knew (but hadn’t seen for a couple of years). Very little was said about his professional career. Mostly it was about his hobbies, his kids and grandkids, and the volunteering he was passionate about.
I know a partner of a law firm who I’m sure is very good at what he does, but his legacy he’s creating with his hospice volunteering. Which do you think is more meaningful, in the big picture?
I know when you are unemployed it’s hard to think about big picture (although it’s a great time to pause life and finally spend time on the big picture), but make sure you keep your life and this time in perspective… what kind of legacy are you creating right now? Is that the legacy you want to be known for?