what mark will you leave on this world?
Its a question that i find myself asking since i was old enough to understood the concept of mortality. I’m 18 years olf now, at the intersection of my youth and adulthood. I am sorely aware that every moment that passes is a moment closer to the end of my story. But what will the contents of that story be.
For all my life, I’ve always been drawn to the tales of those who claimed the world whilst in their youth. Alexander the Great, ruling Macedonia at 20, Joan of Arc, leading the french army at 17. Cleopatra, coruling Egypt at 19. Even in our modern era, Bill Gates founded Microsoft at 20, and Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook at 19.
I find that they fuel a passion within myself - a burning desire to leave an inextinguishable mark on history. I find very few people that have similar desires. Instead, I see many people happy to flow along with the current of life, settling into routines that, while comfortable, leave little trace of their existence once theyre gone.
Is that all there is to life? To work, to live, to die, and to be forgotten?
I dont like that at all.
So here comes the question; how does one leave behind a legacy? how do we ensure that our brief flicker of existence in history, illuminate the paths of those who come after us?
Throughout my experiences, Ive come to realise that legacy isnt about how many accolades you have or how many monuments youve built. Its about inspiration. To leave behind something worth remembering, you have to become someone that sparks the embers of possibility within others.
In order to do so, you need to take the relentless path of personal development in mind, body, and spirit. I think that these 3 pillars form the foundation of who we are and who we can become. This path is unique for everone but theres one truth that remains constant, growth is the summation of the willingness to sacrifice comfort.
Simply put, you need to want it bad enough.
Every choice we make is a step towards or away from our legacy. Like the butterfly effect, even our smallest decisions can have far reaching consequences. Choosing to sleep in or wake up early, to exercise or to remain on the couch - Each and every choice compounds, shaping our futures in ways we can barely fathom.
Its important to note that the power of consecutive choices cannot
be overstated. Consecutive good decisions elevates us exponentially
and consecutive bad descisions spiral us into despair and
mediocrity. But all this works the same, we always have the power
to change course.