To start with...
Anyone who knows me knows that Halloween and Day of the Dead decorations creep me WAY out for some reason! But I finally watched the Fox video The Book Of Life last year and realized that they have a concept that can transform how we live.
So in the movie, the main character is back and forth between the Land of the Remembered and the Land of the Forgotten. And one of the central themes is about whether or not we are even remembered long-term.
I don't think there are many people out there who would say "No Steph, I want to be forgotten long-term!" Ha! Human nature is to see what kind of an impact we can have. But I think that for two simple reasons, we often fail to properly utilize this tool.
#1
Same as with MANY other goals.
We often fail to properly enumerate what our 500 year goal is. We have a vague concept, but we never truly dig in to figure out what it is, exactly, that we want people to say about us.
This has to be bigger than "I want to be remembered as a good person." What did you do that was so good that you will be remembered for? Remember, 500 years is a LONG time. They won't remember you just for being a good person!
Think SMACC! (Don't remember those? Check it out here!)
#2
In the day-to-day work, we forget to drive towards our long-term goal. It may be in the back of our heads, but somehow, it ends up stuck in the back of our heads until suddenly we're 40 years old and driving a red convertible down the freeway to try and fulfill our mid-life crisis!
I've seen it happen again and again and frankly, it's heartbreaking.
When we forget to keep front of mind what we are working towards, we suddenly wake up exhausted from putting out fires. Unable to keep working towards the long-term goal and just hoping to get to a life that doesn't consist of constant fire-fighting.
The Challenge:
So this year, my challenge to you is to, if you don't know already, first figure out exactly what you want to be remembered for. Secondly, keep it front and center all year long! Put it on your computer desktop, put it on your dreamboard, put it on your phone screen saver! Find a way to remember what you're working towards - it will make it all worthwhile!