Does Linked 2 Leadership matter?
That’s why I read the many blogs posted by regular contributors. How much of this matters to them and how much matters to the more than 10,000 who have joined Linked 2 Leadership since we started it nearly two years ago?
Is it even necessary for me to blog any more, now that so many have “found their voice” and a loyal following of readers, all who choose to put this blog in their RSS feeders and other cool tools that deliver desired content to the browser and viewing device of the moment? I asked that of a room full of eager, extra bright, young and visionary Rotarians, all gathered for the annual Rotary Leadership Institute in our state this month. Like Linked 2 Leadership, that roomful of “leaders of leaders” had something worth sharing with all 10,000 or more of you.
You may have seen or heard this. It was my first experience with this piece from Michael Josephson. For me, that day, it put all of 2009 in perspective and I hope it does the same for you. Write and tell me what will matter to you.
What Will Matter by Michael Josephson
Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else. Your wealth, fame and temporary power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed. Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. So too, your hopes, ambitious, plans and to-do lists will expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. It won’t matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end. It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you bought but what you built, not what you got but what you gave. What will matter is not your success but your significance. What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught. What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence but your character. What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you are gone. What will matter is not your memories but the memories of those who loved you. What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice. Choose to live a life that matters.
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Georgia Patrick is President of The Communicators, Inc.
She can be reached at [email protected]
Georgia,
I just joined the group and your post appears to be a bit negative. Am I missing something or did I join the party just as it was breaking up?
Just the opposite–the party and celebrations continue. It’s been a year of a lot of major achievements and the loss of parents, so I just wanted to share with all leaders of leaders that most of what we angst over doesn’t matter.
A lot going on in L2L and my business and my life. How about you?