important questions an adult can ask and answer.
Too many of us wander through life and never examine our
lives. We fantasize that a great life is having money or
fame or raising a family, perhaps driving a new car or
having a house in the Hamptons, but we never rigorously
examine how we want to live our lives and what a GREAT
would look like.
We all know that a great life does not happen by accident.
A great life is not inherited and it does not come with a
diploma, a promotion, getting married (or divorced), having
kids or retiring early. A great life is NEVER automatic. It
cannot be inherited and it's never an accessory with the
"goodies" of life. Sure, lots of money, a penthouse
apartment, political power or winning the Nobel Prize are
wonderful things and I encourage you to aspire to ALL of
them.
But none of them will guarantee you a great life.
It seems to me that a GREAT life is one that is chosen "on
purpose" and is lived in the service of a vision greater
than itself. A great life is living "a life of one's own"
and it is invested, not merely spent.
Second, it seems to me that a GREAT life makes a great
contribution. A great life uses its talents and abilities
to make at least one small corner of the world a better
place. A great life stands up, speaks out, and gets things
done. A GREAT life makes a measurable difference and leaves
the world better than we found it.
Third, it seems to me that a GREAT life leaves a path for
others to follow. It is good to do great things; it's even
BETTER to do great things and teach others to do them as
well. A GREAT life leaves a legacy. A GREAT life inspires
the next generation to go further, reach farther, dream
bigger and achieve more.
I am convinced that every one of us has the ability and the
right to a GREAT life. Greatness is not reserved for a
lucky few, for the rich or the powerful, for the artistic
or for any small category of people. Living a GREAT life is
the birthright of every human being, whether we express
greatness in designing tall buildings, or by teaching
children to stand tall.
Greatness is our birthright, whether we express our
greatness in business or government, in art or music, in
parenting, or in any of the thousands of so-called "small"
ways that we often over-look, but which are absolutely
essential. Most people remember a special teacher, and
many of us had an uncle who taught us to whistle or a
grandmother who taught us to read. Perhaps there was a
neighbor who taught us to fish, who gave us our first job,
or dared us to persevere when things were hard.
We all have the opportunity, and the challenge, to make a
difference and to be GREAT. Each of us is invited to live
a life of substance and distinction that changes the world
for those we touch.
I love the story of the "star thrower," about a man walking
on a beach after a storm, throwing starfish back into the
ocean so they didn't die on the shore. Someone criticizes
him for wasting his time, noting there are millions of
starfish, and the few he saves won't make much difference.
The man silently bends over, throws a starfish into the
surf and replies, "It made a difference for that one."
Set it as your minimum standard to live a GREAT life, to
make a difference and have some fun! Eventually, down the
road one day, we all have to look back and assess our life
and when that time comes, we want to smile, knowing we did
it right. Set that as your standard, and go for it!
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