The Difference Between Reputation and Legacy

Remember a few blogs ago when I mentioned that my oldest daughter is graduating this year? Yeah. She really is. (Crazy, right?) Anyway, the other day there was this sort of mock ceremony called a baccalaureate, during which graduating seniors came together, wearing caps and gowns, and listened to an inspirational speaker.

I’m not going to go into major detail about the speech or the activity or whatever. But one thing the speaker said really struck me, so I thought I’d share it here.

He said, “A reputation is built in a day. A legacy is built in a lifetime.” ~Kacy Benson

It struck home for me. Reputation is fleeting. Legacy is forever.

If I teach my children nothing more in this life, I hope it is how little reputation matters when you get to heaven, and how much more important it is to touch the lives of others, in everything we do, and in every way we can.

So tell me. What have you done to touch someone’s life today? 

Why I’m not Making New Year’s Goals for 2014.

Yeah, you read that right. I’m not posting a list of tasks I intend to complete for 2014, or giving myself deadlines to accomplish those things.

It’s not that I don’t think making lists isn’t an important step in succeeding. I do. And it’s not that I don’t believe it’s absolutely necessary to have goals and ideas and plans for how to achieve those objectives. I do. In fact, I’ve made goals/lists every year for as long as I can remember.

It’s just that this year I’ve decided to do something a little different. After November’s epic NaNo failure, I learned a very important lesson. Sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes we have to be flexible and adjustable and learn how to adapt. 2013 was one of those years for me. 2014 might be another. We’ll see.

*cue over-played theme song*

I came in like a wrecking ball…

I still have goals. And hopes. And plans. But this year, rather than a list of goals, I’ve made…wait for it…

Resolutions.

Uh, what? Yeah. Resolutions. Check it out.

I resolve to:

See more good in people.

Respond to rudeness with kindness.

Be more patient, accepting, and tolerant of others.

Not compare myself to other people, or my life-path to anyone else’s life path.

Be a better listener.

Be forgiving of my own flaws, and remember that flaws make us unique.

Write something meaningful and lasting.

Read more books.

Write more words.

Learn how to share what I know with others in an entertaining, informative way.

Find the humor in all things.

Laugh every day.

Do something terrifying and exhilarating and wonderful.

There are other things I hope to accomplish this year. Practical things. Business-minded things. Personal achievement things. But as I think about it, I’ve decided that this list is the more important one, the one that deserves my focus. The one list that might truly make 2014 my best year yet.

Have you resolved anything like this?