As our story opens, even though he may not have been aware of it, Roger was in the process of actually leaving a legacy.
His business would no doubt have eventually failed-leaving a legacy of many disappointed employees and their families.
His marriage would have likely failed- leaving behind a devastated wife and children.
He could have very easily headed down a path of doom and destruction- quite a legacy indeed!
Lucky for Roger, Bob helped him change his life and in the process, no doubt change the legacy that Roger would eventually leave behind.
A very powerful aspect of our story is that a "legacy" was being passed from one person to the next- from Alice first sharing her directives with her husband Bob, who was sharing them with Roger, who was passing them along to his neighbor Andrew, who would no doubt also pass them along to others.
A true legacy was being passed from one person to another- and in the case of Bob to Roger- from one generation to the next.
Perhaps there is no greater question that we could ever ask ourselves in life than this one- "What is the real purpose to my life?"
We all have been wired by God to desire to have meaning, purpose, and direction in life.
In other words, we want our lives to count for something.
A Matter Of Life & Death
It was common knowledge among American soldiers that during World War II if an unidentified soldier appeared unexpectedly in the dark and could not state his mission, he was shot on the spot, without question. It would be quite interesting to see what would happen if a similar practice were followed today.
If confronted with a "life or death" requirement to know our mission, we would certainly re-examine who we are, why we are here, and what our life is really all about - our Legacy.
No doubt, we would save lots of time, effort, energy, and money, because our understanding of what we are to do (our job description if you will) would become crystal clear. Productivity and efficiency would soar. Absenteeism and waste would plummet. Government leaders would certainly replace rhetoric and empty promises with real and meaningful action. Every day "average" people would quit living a life of mediocrity and start leading exciting, powerful, and significant lives.
Rather than wasting their lives in front of the television and reaching for their remote controls, they would reach deep within themselves and discover how invigorating life can be. Many who have lived mundane lives would experience passion, the anticipation of fresh and inviting possibilities, and ultimate personal power. Those who walk around saying to themselves 'there's got to be more to life than this,' would begin understanding real purpose to life- and would begin leaving behind incredible legacies.
Perhaps no tool is as valuable in providing direction for developing your Personal Legacy for long-term success and meaning in life as is a Personal Mission (Purpose) Statement - a brief, succinct, and focused statement of purpose that can be used to initiate, evaluate, and refine all of life's activities. A carefully thought out mission statement acts as both a harness and a sword - harnessing you to what is true about your life, and cutting away all that is false or meaningless.
Individuals and companies alike are learning for themselves what history has proven all along- that people or groups with carefully defined and written missions have always led, surpassed, or defeated those who don't have one. While most individuals acknowledge the need for a personal mission statement, they believe the process is too complex or difficult to achieve. Thus they are unwilling to take the time, effort, and resources to complete what would likely be one of the most beneficial and powerful experiences in their entire life.
A Life of No Regrets
One of the keys to leaving a lasting legacy is to live a life with little or no regrets.
Of course we all make mistakes. We say and do things that hurt the people we love the most.
However, the worst mistake we can make is to hurt someone and then not do all we can do to restore the relationship.
What would be the impact if we could intentionally live in such a manner that we would live each day as if it were our last?
What if you somehow knew tomorrow or the next day was to be your last day on earth? What would you do? Who would you desire to contact and seek forgiveness from? What would you say to your family and close friends?
The following story illustrates this point very well:
When asked what she might have done differently if she had the chance to live life over, one 85 year-old woman responded:
¢ I would have talked less and listened more…
¢ I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded…
¢ I would have eaten the popcorn in the "good" living room, and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace…
¢ I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth…
¢ I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been cut
and styled…
¢ I would have played on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains on our clothes…
¢ I would have cried and laughed less while watching television, and more while participating in real life…
¢ I would have gone to bed when I was sick, instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I were not there for a day…
¢ I would have never bought anything just because it was practical, or because it would not soil, or because it came with a lifetime guarantee. Instead, I would buy a few more things "just for the fun of it."…
¢ Instead of our wishing the pregnancy would come to a quick end, my spouse and I would cherish each and every moment of each and every day, realizing that the growing life inside the womb was our only chance in life to assist God in the process of a miracle…
¢ There would have been a lot more "I love you's" and a lot more "I am sorry's."…
¢ I would have eaten lots more ice cream…
¢ I would never have told my kids "later" or "someday" when they wanted some of my time…
¢ BUT MOST OF ALL, IF GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE AT LIFE, I WOULD SEIZE EACH AND EVERY MOMENT, LOOK AT EACH ONE AS IT IS, REALLY SEE IT, LIVE IT, AND NEVER GIVE IT BACK!
The Nobel Peace Prize- A Lasting Legacy Born from a 2nd Chance
When you read or hear the name Alfred Nobel, what comes to mind? Most likely, you think of The Nobel Peace Prize. But that is really just half of the amazing story.
Nobel was a very wealthy Swedish chemist who made his fortune by inventing dynamite and other explosives that were used as military weapons of mass destruction.
Later in his life, when Nobel's brother died, a local newspaper inadvertently reported that Alfred had died. You can imagine his shock and dismay as he read his own obituary. As the words in the paper penetrated him that morning, he became terribly despondent as he realized how he was "going to be remembered."
The paper described Nobel as a man who became very wealthy at the expense of others. His inventions were used to kill people in unprecedented quantities.
Obviously shaken by this assessment, he committed the rest of his life to using his fortune to promote and reward acts that honored and benefited humanity.
Thus, the Nobel Peace Prize was established.
Alfred Nobel had a unique opportunity - he got to evaluate the end of his life while he was yet living. He could change how his life's story would conclude.
He created a brand new "ideal legacy." His life ended up counting for the benefit of the human race.
And, fortunately, you now have the same opportunity as Alfred Nobel.
You may not have his wealth or fame, but you are still living. You can craft your own "ideal legacy."
So, as I close my presentation, we must all ask ourselves this question: "What is the legacy I will leave behind?"
Let's apply this question to all our directives from the book:
1) Will I leave behind a legacy where I modeled to others how to "recharge" and "refresh" rather than constantly working and feeling like I cannot slow down to enjoy the fruit of my labor?
2) Will my family feel as though I saw them as a blessing to enjoy rather than a burden to be carried?
3) Did I leave behind a legacy where others saw my faith in God- and that even when things did not go as I had hoped or planned, that I trusted God loved me and had a wonderful plan for my life and that He was in control of my circumstances
4) Did I leave a legacy where others saw that I invested my time, talent, and finances into things that were of eternal nature that were important to God?
5) Did I take the time to build into the lives of others around me and that I was generous in passing on all that I knew and had been given?
6) Did I leave a legacy where my years on earth made the world a better place?
