by Corey Ciocchetti | Legacy |
Life is often hard, unpredictable, and unfair. In tough times, we need fuel, something to get us up in the morning to fight another battle. The type of fuel you require is a personal choice. But, if you’re looking, I have something that just might do the trick, some wisdom I found watching The Lord of the Rings. The idea is to continually recognize that there is still some good left in this world and that this good is something to keep fighting for. Come identify the good in your life . . .
by Corey Ciocchetti | Legacy |
I hope to leave a legacy when I stop teaching. Truth told, I think about this all the time. You do too, right? Legacy-building is innate in hard-working, dedicated people. People like that want their life’s work to mean something, to impact others, to advance society in some way. Successful scientists do this via discoveries that improve people’s lives. Successful real estate agents do this by helping scores of people find a place to belong, start a family, and feel safe. Successful lawyers do this by fighting for a more just legal system or facilitating deals that make the economy grow. Successful doctors do this by healing sick patients and ameliorating suffering. Successful professors do this by inspiring students and furthering knowledge. You get my point: legacy matters and defines a person’s professional success.
Your legacy should be on your mind regardless of whether you are new on the job or on the verge of retirement. To me, the best way to measure a legacy is through the total number of inches a person gains over the course of a career. Notice I said inches and not touchdowns. It’s the little stuff that adds up to a legacy. That’s what people remember when all is said and done. For example, if I lost my job tomorrow, I wouldn’t go to my office and stare at my awards or start reading my resume. Instead, I would go home and open the box that overflows with letters of thanks from people I’ve impacted perhaps just a bit over the past fourteen years. These are the inches that truly matter in my job and you’ll need to frame the inches in your job similarly.
