Legacy on a Plaque
My first legacy question on Twitter was: Where would you want a plaque commemorating your life and what would it say?
This question has fascinated me for a long time. It has so many layers.
For me, the easier part of the question is the words on the plaque. Given my current mood and whim, I would want it to say "Karen Brady found the most useful phrase in the world was 'How can I help you?'. Have you asked anyone that question today?"
"Helping others" is not how I describe my life's purpose. Yet I find that there is immense power in asking someone how I can help. I'm not talking about the power you lord over others or use to get your way. I mean power as in force. Being able to help others is a forceful reminder of my own usefulness. It reinforces my connectedness to others. It makes me a factor in increasing what is positive in the world, not just positive energy but positive action and positive results.
That's an important distinction, though. An offer to help isn't an offer to bail someone out. I'm not interested in doing for others what they aren't willing to do for themselves. Instead, I'm interested in helping in ways that do further my life's purpose, which is to help others discover the power they have in themselves. So, "How can I help you?"
Where would I like to see this plaque? If I can't have prime space in Times Square, how about a message beamed onto the moon? If that won't fly either, then I guess I'd settle for a training ground for future leaders, like a college or even an elementary school. Might as well start when they're young. I'd want it to be located somewhere they saw it everyday but where it never became "part of the scenery". Maybe a message that flashed when they scanned their lunch card at the cafeteria or put their money into a vending machine. Mundane, yes. But that's the point. Make it a daily experience.
What would your plaque say and where would it be?
This question has fascinated me for a long time. It has so many layers.
For me, the easier part of the question is the words on the plaque. Given my current mood and whim, I would want it to say "Karen Brady found the most useful phrase in the world was 'How can I help you?'. Have you asked anyone that question today?"
"Helping others" is not how I describe my life's purpose. Yet I find that there is immense power in asking someone how I can help. I'm not talking about the power you lord over others or use to get your way. I mean power as in force. Being able to help others is a forceful reminder of my own usefulness. It reinforces my connectedness to others. It makes me a factor in increasing what is positive in the world, not just positive energy but positive action and positive results.
That's an important distinction, though. An offer to help isn't an offer to bail someone out. I'm not interested in doing for others what they aren't willing to do for themselves. Instead, I'm interested in helping in ways that do further my life's purpose, which is to help others discover the power they have in themselves. So, "How can I help you?"
Where would I like to see this plaque? If I can't have prime space in Times Square, how about a message beamed onto the moon? If that won't fly either, then I guess I'd settle for a training ground for future leaders, like a college or even an elementary school. Might as well start when they're young. I'd want it to be located somewhere they saw it everyday but where it never became "part of the scenery". Maybe a message that flashed when they scanned their lunch card at the cafeteria or put their money into a vending machine. Mundane, yes. But that's the point. Make it a daily experience.
What would your plaque say and where would it be?
Posted by Karen Brady at 5/4/2009 5:13 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: purpose wealth attorney estate legacy lawyer values business inheritance memoirs Colorado relationships estate plan
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: purpose wealth attorney estate legacy lawyer values business inheritance memoirs Colorado relationships estate plan
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