When we go to the movies or select one on our home theater, what genre do you choose? Many love a movie with action and adventure, still others choose romance, then there are the space movies about time travel and the future, but most of us love a movie which is a “True Story”. A true story of how someone who began life as average overcame tremendous odds accomplished something of tremendous significance and left a lasting legacy.
Accomplishing something of tremendous significance and leaving a lasting legacy is not a “destination”, rather it is the behaviors, attitude, character and decisions you and I make every day. If you want to make a difference in the lives of others, you must begin today, right this very moment.
In order to live this kind of life, we must each live a life with no regrets. End each day with no: “…I should have…or….that wasn’t very nice to…..or…..I forgot to…..” live with no regrets, correct those “if onlys” and “I should haves” before the sun sets. It takes a person of very high moral character to correct their own wrongs.
What will your decision be? Here are some guidelines:
1. You can only offer what you legitimately know.
2. You can only perform at the level which you have experienced.
3. You can open yourself up to something “new” which will open the door to new possibilities and potentials.
4. You cannot unlearn what you already know to be true.
5. Once your experience and knowledge are in your brain, they do demand action from you.
6. Choose to live a life of significance.
7. Choose to be “intentional” with your “intentions”.
8. Start now, start small and believe B-I-G!
9. Actively search for your “WHY”, so that you can make a difference.
10. Put other people first.
11. Add value to others from your “sweet spot”.
12. Connect with those of like mind to make a difference.
13. Live with a sense of anticipation to make a difference.
14. Seize opportunities and take action in order to make a difference.
According the USA in an article in 2014, the latest statistics for men and women here in the United States on life expectancy is: 81.2 years for women and 76.4 years for men. That is up 4.8 years from 2011. Take you current age and subtract that from the figures given above, and this will give you the amount of time you have left to live a life of significance and to tell your story to someone, or better yet to pen it for your family’s legacy.
How do I do that you may be wondering; pen my own story? You might begin with a simple timeline of your life by drawing an line as seen below.
Now simply write any high points and any low points which come to mind with each decade of your life. If you have trouble with this, ask someone who has known you in those decades or someone who shared the same highs and lows. Then fill in the details and write a paragraph or two setting the scene, what the times were like, what your decisions were and so on. Before you know it, you will have a
“Story of Legacy of YOUR LIFE”
Please email me with your questions, comments or suggests at:
focusrubyhillliving@janicebastani.com.
Next month we will discuss:
“Evaluating 2016 & Looking Ahead to 2017”
