There are two events in life that every single person has to
go through. Every person has a day that
they are born and a day they die.
Our tombstones will reflect these dates. Our lives, the relationships we build, the
things we do, and our impact, is represented by the dash in between these dates. How are you living your dash?
Jim Valvano was a legendary coach in NCAA Men’s
Basketball. Under his direction, the
1983 North Carolina State University Men’s Basketball Team won the National
Championship and he is forever enshrined in the hearts of collegiate basketball
fans around the world. Jimmy V is
remembered for his stories, passion on and off the court, leadership, and outstanding personality. About a
decade after he coached the team to victory, he was diagnosed with a severe
form of cancer that would end his life quickly.
While others may have stopped working and resigned to the inevitable, Jimmy
V decided that he was not ready to stop his contribution. I’m sure at some point, he began to think
about his legacy and what he was really leaving behind. Just leaving behind a great coaching career
was not enough for him. His vision led
to the creation of the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research. Today, millions of dollars have been raised
by the foundation for cancer research and the foundation is a leader in helping
to find a cure for this horrible disease.
Coach Jimmy V’s legacy continues to live on because he was committed to
making an impact on the world with his life.
We all know those people that excessively collect things
like baseball cards, cars, and money. Sometimes it completely becomes their sole focus
and they try to collect as much as they can in life. They focus more on building up their
collection than giving to others. But in
case you haven’t noticed, you can’t take that stuff with you when you die. Randy Travis introduced a song several years ago
entitled Three Wooden Crosses. The main lyric in the songs states “It’s not
what you take when you leave this world behind you; it’s what you leave behind
you when you go.” What matters is how
you are living your life today and what impact you are really making on the
people you love and the world you are living in.
You are capable of doing great things. There is no higher calling than service to
others. We all have a part to play in
making the world a better place. As Americans, we are part of the world’s most powerful nation. We are a blessed people. Americans have the capacity and should lead the world in making our planet a better place. Find
where your passion and talents overlap and then you will know what you can do
to build a lasting legacy. Focus on your contribution and I will see you on the highway to success.
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