I am a lucky guy. “Retirement” brings the most wonderful people into my orbit. I have the sincere honor to make the acquaintance of the man who ‘invented’ the Emotional quotient some 30 years ago. One of those things that, as Mr. Jobs said, “Put a little ding in the universe.” He is is updating it for wider and wider application. One such way is for public safety professionals. We want to consider what it is to leave a legacy so we contemplate appropriate questions to ask analyze and then recommend action.One question considers if what we do will stand the test of time. Here goes part of our email discussion.
“The test of time’ is a bit open ended and left to the interpretation of the individual which this type of question must. The beauty of such a question is that it lingers in the individual.
It is not only a good question, it is probing. If given the chance, that question alone should lead to great discussion and individual understanding on Just what legacy is for the individual. More than that they will see leaving something meaningful is possible for anyone. I see such a question branching out to ‘living a live worth living,’ = the 4 Cardinal Virtues (Justice, Wisdom, Courage and Temperance). With the foundation of virtue then one realizes it by living holistically.
Furthermore, as your test is given to more and more, and younger and younger people, this type of question has the promise of redirecting lives early on to what it means to be healthy, interesting and happy (Body, Mind and Spirit). Will it affect everyone, no. Will it effect some, Yes! And that is what matters. Just the contemplation of the question will cause introspection and positive change individually which will improve the individual who improves those around him/her and the wider world; its called Legacy.
One of the big things as a result of such a question is that it will lead people to see and feel how lucky we are to be alive, in our great countries, at this time in history which I see as the New Renaissance. I believe 500 years from now, the historians will look back to this moment in the march of civilizations and observe that ‘It’ began back around the beginning of the 21st century.
I look back just a few decades before my birth to ‘hear’ the best and the brightest comment, “Forget about flying, you are wasting your time, my money . . . man was not meant to fly; go and invent penicillin.” Then the bicycle boys (Wright Bros) happened. Now looking forward I will see people colonizing Mars!! How did that happen? Remarkable, almost beyond contemplation. Soon, and with luck, much before I die, I will call a car, to go to my favorite ice cream store in Pittsboro, have a football sized banana split waiting for me and return home without a driver, in comfort and safe. How did that happen? Remarkable!
I do need to get going,
Your Friend,
J
