When I think about the life I want to live I’m reminded of Steven Covey’s principle Begin With The End In Mind. The principle invites us to imagine that we’re attending our own funeral. What do we want to be remembered for? What impact do we hope our lives have on others. Essentially, what kind of legacy do we want to leave behind?
Thinking about the legacy I want to create I tend to reflect on the principles that my parents instilled in me and one particular experience comes to mind. When I was a teenager my dad asked me to go to the car shop to pay for an oil change that the shop had performed a few days earlier. When I arrived at the car shop they didn’t have any record of servicing my dad’s car. I told them that my dad sent me down here to pay for an oil change so the attendant charged my dad’s credit card accordingly. When I returned home I told my dad “you wouldn’t believe it, they didn’t have any record of servicing your car. You totally could have gotten that for free.” He looked at me with a bewildered look on his face and said: “I would never do that.”
Growing up, my parents preached honesty and integrity, but it was their actions that had a real impact. I find this helpful as I strive to have a positive impact on my family and others because it teaches me that my actions will do the real teaching and my words should reinforce my actions. Just as Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “your actions are speaking so loudly, I can not hear what you’re saying.”
As you think about the life you want to live, begin with the end in mind. What will be your legacy?