It’s a provocative question. I was asked this question 4 years ago by the career coach with whom I’d been working to prepare for my big leap from music marketing executive (secure job) to entrepreneur (scary & unknown.) I thought for a week and gave him this reply. What I hope my legacy will be is that I touched at least one human being and made a difference in his/her life while I was on earth. Ever since then I have tried to consider this in my work and every day life. Fortunately, I now work with Habitat for Humanity as a publicist so I am given plenty of opportunities to feel fulfilled. This past Saturday was no exception.
Over the weekend, I participated in Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity’s “Power Women, Power Tools” annual build event. At the end of our build day, the organization had invited 20 families to stop by under the premise that they could see how a build site operated. Each family was in the process of applying and none had any idea that their lives were going to be changed on that day. During a surprise announcement, the families were told that they had in fact been selected and that by November of this year, they would all be homeowners. There was not a dry eye in the crowd. I will never forget how that experience made me feel. These are families who would never qualify for a new home loan and can barely afford rent on an apartment. I cannot wait for November when I go back to see them all receive keys to their new homes. It’s pretty easy to guess what their legacy is going to be. Wow.
There is a lot of talk lately about the negative ‘footprint’ we will each leave on this earth and I believe we should also focus on the positive things we can all leave behind, such as a strong roof or solid walls that can shelter a family. What can you do? What will your legacy be? It’s never too late to make a difference. Do it for someone else, do it for the earth and do it for yourself. It feels awesome!
