Leveraging Your Legacy
http://www.refresher.com/mindfulnetwork/articlelive/articles/837/1/Leveraging-Your-Legacy/Page1.html
Jim Stovall
Jim
Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network, as well as a
published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a
columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa,
OK 74145-9082,
or by e-mail at Jim@JimStovall.com By Jim Stovall
Published on 03/5/2011
All of us have opportunities where we can leverage our impact by taking the special areas of talent and experience we have and giving them away to people who need them. As you go through your day today, follow the example of a very special colonel who redefines and expands the definition of service to his country.
Leveraging Your Legacy
Having these weekly columns read by countless people around the world for more than a decade has allowed me to meet many new people and make a lot of new friends. This week’s effort is inspired by one of those friends.
One of the avid readers of the weekly Winners’ Wisdom column is a colonel assigned to the Pentagon. He began reading the columns each week when he was stationed overseas and serving in a war zone. We have communicated periodically, and I have enjoyed getting to know him through our correspondence.
I mentor a number of high school and college students and recently was confronted by a 16-year-old young man who couldn’t wait to join the army and “get into the action.” This young man is typical of his generation in that his military aspirations are inspired by video games and action movies.
Serving in the military is among the most honorable of professions. In a sense, it makes all of the other professions and the freedom to pursue them possible. The colonel is in a unique position to provide advice that is priceless. He can demonstrate through words and deeds that the military is populated by heroes but not the kind you find in video games and action movies.
The colonel also demonstrates to the rest of us that we should constantly be looking for ways to give of ourselves. Everyone has only 24 hours each day. Some of this time should be spent working, some should be spent in leisure and personal pursuits, while another portion of our time should be given to the service of others. We can volunteer to perform tasks that serve our communities or people around the world, but we can leverage our impact when we offer not only our time and effort but our expertise.
The colonel could volunteer his time to serve soup at a homeless shelter. This is laudable and meaningful for all concerned. It can make someone’s day better and brighter. But when the colonel volunteers to give his expertise based on many years of experience, and present that to a struggling young person, he can change a life forever.
All of us have opportunities where we can leverage our impact by taking the special areas of talent and experience we have and giving them away to people who need them.
As you go through your day today, follow the example of a very special colonel who redefines and expands the definition of service to his country.
Today’s the day!
One of the avid readers of the weekly Winners’ Wisdom column is a colonel assigned to the Pentagon. He began reading the columns each week when he was stationed overseas and serving in a war zone. We have communicated periodically, and I have enjoyed getting to know him through our correspondence.
I mentor a number of high school and college students and recently was confronted by a 16-year-old young man who couldn’t wait to join the army and “get into the action.” This young man is typical of his generation in that his military aspirations are inspired by video games and action movies.
Serving in the military is among the most honorable of professions. In a sense, it makes all of the other professions and the freedom to pursue them possible. The colonel is in a unique position to provide advice that is priceless. He can demonstrate through words and deeds that the military is populated by heroes but not the kind you find in video games and action movies.
The colonel also demonstrates to the rest of us that we should constantly be looking for ways to give of ourselves. Everyone has only 24 hours each day. Some of this time should be spent working, some should be spent in leisure and personal pursuits, while another portion of our time should be given to the service of others. We can volunteer to perform tasks that serve our communities or people around the world, but we can leverage our impact when we offer not only our time and effort but our expertise.
The colonel could volunteer his time to serve soup at a homeless shelter. This is laudable and meaningful for all concerned. It can make someone’s day better and brighter. But when the colonel volunteers to give his expertise based on many years of experience, and present that to a struggling young person, he can change a life forever.
All of us have opportunities where we can leverage our impact by taking the special areas of talent and experience we have and giving them away to people who need them.
As you go through your day today, follow the example of a very special colonel who redefines and expands the definition of service to his country.
Today’s the day!