Create Your Dent in The Universe
“We’re here to put a dent in the universe.” – Steve Jobs
We want being here on this earth to have mattered. When you are stuck in the world of doing what you have to do to make ends meet, you don’t feel like you have the luxury of thinking about your legacy.
But it’s thinking about your legacy that actually creates your future.
Let me show you what I mean.
I go to our karate dojo multiple times per week. This past week we had a board breaking clinic. It’s a fun and exciting thing to break boards with your hands.
It’s not even that hard, it just takes a lot of focus, mental energy and the right technique.
I watched one boy try to break a board. He had the physical strength to do it. He even seemed very focused and had a good technique. Yet the second he went to hit the board, he hesitated. That hesitation made him smack the board and the board bounced back and didn’t break.
He seemed to have all the pieces he needed, except that one small hesitation held him back.
What my Sosai told me, and what I told him:
“Try to hit the FLOOR.”
It’s not about breaking the board, it’s about sending your hand through space with enough force to hit the floor, and the boards will break as a result.
This time, it worked. The boy put all his force into hitting the floor, not the boards.
THIS is what we need. We NEED legacy to drive us to create a dent in the universe. Because, yes, paying bills matter, but that PALES in comparison to changing the world. In fact, that is just logistics. If you dedicate yourself to changing the future of the planet, you are willing to do whatever it takes to get by.
If you are willing to give up your hesitation, or the idea of “Who am I to do something great?” You will move mountains. New paths will open up to you.
Now it’s not always pink ribbons, and roses. But as a warrior looking to succeed no matter what – you know that it’s not. And you are ready for it. You know that there will be battles lost.
But if you continue to aim for something as big as creating your spot in the universe, the small losses don’t matter. It’s the courage to continue that counts.
Action Item:
You are able to do way more than you think. So if you weren’t afraid, what would your legacy be?
Tags: business reputation, reputation
Categories: Business, Marketing
Hi I’m Jaime. Each and every week I bring you the top business advice from the people who know best.
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5 responses
I totally agree with this post. Everyone should aim at making a dent in the Universe and crafting a legacy that will last for centuries. Unfortunately, most people get stuck and don?t take action, playing by ?the rules? of a system where everybody tells you what?s best for you. Most people are ?trained? to conform to the status quo because it works and that?s just the way it is.
I know this is not true because I have read books and watched videos about startups, entrepreneurs, and people who are leaving a legacy by not following the traditional model, but breaking it and creating a new one. And this model is very simple, find out your passion, add value to society and get paid to do it. It? simple but requires hard work and dedication and this is where most people fail. Like your post explains, creating your own freedom will require focus, mental energy, and the right technique. I believe we are all capable of ?breaking the board? but it?s true that hesitation stops most people, including myself. I have to deal with hesitation and fear everyday, but if you make a decision to everyday overcome this ?roadblocks?, you will be on your way to freedom.
I know where I want to go and I have to deal with hesitation and fear everyday, sometimes I win and feel awesome; other times, I get beat and feel bad about it, but no matter how many times you get beat, always get back up and keep moving forward.
I want to build a legacy that can last for centuries to come. I want people to better their lives because of my work. I want to know I?m adding value each day to someone somewhere out there.
I will consider myself a Millionaire when I have touched and enriched a million lives because you can always make more money but the relationships that you build during your lifetime are priceless and each indidivual is unique and when you know that your work is helping millions out there, I know that the personal reward will be priceless and not even a billion dollars can buy that.
Thank you Jamie for your work and for inspiring people. This is truly amazing. Keep pressing forward.
This is such an inspiring post! It describes me to a tee – in regards to hesitation, not karate. I want to leave a legacy, but I’ve only been taking action on the day-to-day things necessary to pay the bills. I’m going to have to “hit the floor” to break out of the rut.
Hit the floor!! 🙂
I think is a great lesson. I’ve seen so many entrepreneurs hesitate when they know they’re good at what they do, but it’s kind of scary. You doubt yourself and your abilities. You doubt what you’ve learned and if you can do it.
I think what you did was give him the confidence he needed and a picture in his mind of where the target was. Often times, the target isn’t the board, like starting a business. The target is on the other side of the startup, it’s moving past the first part of getting going and trying to move the needle, so to speak.
Yes! And that we need to KEEP doing it, over and over again. 🙂 Shoot for the moon and you’ll end up among the stars right?