LIVING WITH A SENSE OF LEGACY

“Success expires. Value endures. Value creates legacy. Your legacy is your testament.” - Terry Mante

JESUS Christ once said, “… whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” In other words, if you put your life in safety mode you will be in danger but if you are prepared to bear calculated risk, then your life will be preserved in the face of danger. Each of us must necessarily bear some risk to make the world a better place.

We don’t have perfect families, companies, communities and countries. It is the duty of the human race to improve those spheres and make the world a better place. Instead of joining the bandwagon of complainants, we should strive to be counted among the difference makers.

LOSE YOUR LIFE…
YOU can’t keep to yourself and have a meaningful life. If you want your life to be valuable, you’ve got to let something flow out of it. You must let your life reach out to touch the society you live in. You must let your family get a taste of you. You must offer yourself in service of your country. That is how you can make your life valuable.

To be able to lose your life, you must see yourself as an original being. You are not a photocopy of another person. There is a unique space you must occupy on earth. It’s a space only you can fill. It is your ability to fill that space which defines your essence. Don’t just wander on earth without the concept of originality. You must know for sure that you are original, you are authentic; that there is a reserved seat for you on earth.

Further, you must see yourself as a solution bearer. Decide to be part of the things that move your society forward. When you see a problem in any situation, don’t just describe the problem and move on. Attempt to prescribe a solution. If you don’t have an immediate solution, take time to think and research in order to obtain a solution.

To lose your life, you must also learn to use your abilities. Everybody can do something. Focus on what you can do to make the world a better place. Your abilities can make you a global impact person. Make a decision to use them.

…AND YOU WILL SAVE IT
IF YOU commit to making the world a better place, you will live forever. You may die physically but your memory will be in the hearts and minds of posterity. Think of people like Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, Princess Diana, Kwame Nkrumah, Alfred Nobel and of course Jesus Christ. These people show us that the best way to preserve your life is to lose it.

Don’t only focus on what you can get out of life. Be driven by what you can give. Don’t be solely motivated by success. Let significance be your motivational factor. Don’t be too salary-conscious. Be value-conscious. Follow Albert Einstein’s advice, “Strive not to be a success but rather to be of value.” Success expires. Value endures. Value creates legacy. Your legacy is your testament. It will speak on your behalf on the day of reckoning.



© 2011 Terry Mante
PEDNET
Accra, Ghana