tara lamberson

How do you want to be remembered?

I had a conversation about 2 weeks ago with a trusted adviser, confidant and friend. It revolved around the existential conversation of ‘where should I really be spending my time?’

I personally want to make a difference in all that I do, whether it is personal, work or hobby related. However, like many other real human beings, I struggle with how to fit it all into my busy days. On any given day I might answer the above question with a dramatically different answer.

Sometimes I’m guilty of moving so fast that I don’t even realize the impact of my tiny contributions to the world. My short term memory has taken a hit as a result - as my sister points out at any opportunity.

What really resonated with me out of our conversation was when my mentor looked me straight in the eye and asked, “How do you want to be remembered?” Wow - it’s a simple question, but it took me a few minutes to respond. Even after our conversation I keep coming back to it and reflecting on my answer.

I reacted rather quickly with my response, which came from my heart and my gut. It’s kind of like standardized testing back in grade school - typically your first pick is on the mark. The more you question it, the more likely you are to make it overly complex or confuse yourself.

I find myself now re-energized, excited and bit more focused as a result of this conversation and my time spent soul searching. I’m not perfect and I’m grateful that I’ll  continue to come back to this question time and time again throughout my life.

How do you want to be remembered?