The question this week is...
"Are You Contributing To The World?"
That's a pretty tough question to answer.
Why I say that is I think we all want to think and feel like we are contributing to the world and that we are leaving our mark in the world, but are we really?
To be completely honest what do you think it takes to leave you mark on the world?
- Does it mean you have a book written about you?
- Does it mean you are in a history book somewhere?
- Does it mean you have a town named after you?
- Does it mean you have a street named after you?
- Does it mean you have your face on the national money?
- Does it mean you have you name on the side of a building somewhere?
- Does it mean you have a company named after you?
- Does it mean you are a household name?
- Does it mean you are noticed where ever you go?
- Does it mean you have a scholarship named after you?
I could go on and on, but do you think that's what it means to leave you mark?
I'm sure to some people reading this you are thinking to yourself right now... Exactly if you did any of these things above you have left your mark on the world.
But what about people who haven't done those things?
Are they less valuable?
Are they worthless as people because they didn't do one of the things I mentioned above?
My answer to that would be, No.
I think leaving our mark on the world is up to each of us to decide what that means.
- Maybe your goal in life is to touch one person's heart so deeply that they change their life for better.
- Maybe your goal in life is to always smile at people who are down and brighten their day just a little bit.
- Maybe your goal in life is to always be willing to listen to someone who is having a problem or going through a tough time in their life.
- Maybe your goal in life is to help someone achieve their dream.
- Maybe your goal in life is to teach people and help them learn something.
These are just a few examples there are hundreds more I could come up with but I don't want to bore you tears.
My point with saying this...
"You" define how you choose to leave your mark.
No matter what anyone tells you or wants you to do, you are the one who decides how you will leave your mark.
Someone recently asked me...
"Why do you do a podcast, post, and video each week? I noticed you don't have a lot of followers on any platform, so it seems to me your just wasting your time."
While that could be true and that could be one reason why I do this each week it's not my "why" I do this.
I do the podcast, post, and video each week so I can achieve two things:
- I want to share any and all information I've gathered throughout my life with anyone who wants to know it or learn it.
- I want to leave my mark on the world in the form of a "Legacy" for my family and friends.
It's an incredible time we live in now...
Previous to this time if you didn't do one of the things I mentioned above when you die you could easily be forgotten or overtime just erased as if you were never here.
But with technology as it today we have the opportunity to leave little pieces of ourselves all over the internet for people to find.
I may not have a huge following, and no one may read this post, or listen to my podcast, or watch my videos today.
But, that doesn't mean that people won't need this information in the future.
It doesn't mean that when someone needs help in the future that they won't come across what I've left behind and maybe it helps them and maybe it helps them to live a little bit better life.
Ultimately when I'm gone...
My family and friends will have a way to remember me.
They will be able to hear my voice, they will be able to read my thoughts, and they will be able to see me as if I'm having a conversation with them.
I know to most that probably doesn't seem like a lot or that big of a mark being left on the world, but to those people, I say this...
As long as a memory of "You" lives in a person's mind, heart, or soul, are we ever truly forgotten?
My answer to that is No, you are not forgotten, and Yes, you did make a mark on this world.
Never downplay the ability "You" have to leave your mark in this world.
Now go forth, seize the day, and leave your beautiful mark on this world.
*Before you go take a minute and let me know how you plan to leave your mark in this world.
I would love to read it.
*If this post has brought you any value and you know of someone else who could get some value from this information please feel free to share it with them.
I want to be remembered for being someone that my loved ones can count on. It’s important to me that people I care about know that I’m their go to person about any and everything . Also I want to be remembered for my heart. I go out of my way to help anyone that needs it. I am big on random acts of kindness ( paying for orders, leaving baskets of things I noticed they could use, etc). I also make it a point to donate to shelters. I don’t want thanks or credit. I genuinely just love to help and make others feel good. And just wanted to say Great post!!
ReplyDeleteEven though you may think your acts of kindness go unnoticed believe me they aren't going unnoticed. There are people out there that you have touched their life and made a difference and for that they are truly grateful. I'm also very proud of you for having a big heart and finding joy in the fact that you can help others. It takes a big person to not need thanks or credit in the world we live in today. For that alone you should be commended. Thank You for being you and for sharing your comment with me I really do appreciate it.
DeleteThanks Chris. This needed to said, and you've said it well. There's no doubt you will leave a (positive) mark on this world.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the very kind words Tom, and that's all I can hope is that I leave a little mark on the world and hopefully leave it just a little better then when I found it.
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