The sad news of Olivia Newton-John’s passing last week reminded me of the importance of legacy. She has left an incredible legacy behind and is very fondly remembered by many, including me.
It reminded me of something I was thinking about whilst at the retreat.
I’ve had nine months of big questions. Do I agree to having Immunotherapy? What option should I choose from 3 now that Immunotherapy isn’t working? Yet I was still surprised and even blindsided by a new doozy that came up.
After raining non-stop for days, the sun came out and I sat outside my room to journal. I could hear a creek running and a lyrebird cruising around in the bush singing me lovely tunes.
Out of nowhere, the question popped into my head.
If I died today, would I be happy with what I’ve achieved?
Wow. Okay. My first thought was that I haven’t achieved everything I want to. There have been things I’ve shied away from and things that I regret saying and doing. But we’re always going to have that in life because you learn from those experiences. We’re not perfect.
Bottom line: I’ve always given things a crack. I have a successful business and an even better marriage. I’ve built personal and professional worlds that I value so much.
So, I came to the conclusion that yeah, I would be happy. Aside from never having danced with Patrick Swayze.
A friend told me the question and thought process was morbid. I don’t feel that. It felt uplifting to scroll through the hits and memories of my life and think about the fabulous things I’ve seen and done.
It also made me focus on the fact that we never know when our time here is done. I don’t want to leave anything on the table. I’m guessing you don’t either. So, my invitation to you is to work out what you want from your life and business, how you want to show up in the world and what is most important to you.
It’s what I’ve been helping corporate leaders and entrepreneurs with for years. To focus on values, goals and purpose. To create a strategy with vision, then take action.
So, I ask, if you died today, would you be happy with what you’ve achieved? If yes, I love you, keep on going. If not, now is the time to get your legacy rolling. Don’t waste another precious moment.