The Legacy Wisdom of Dr. Seuss
by Robert Hackman
Photograph by Joshua Coleman on Unsplash
Through the fishbowl lens like Dr. Seuss
From the song ‘Hillside’
By Taylor
I encountered a first for me at a recent in-person networking event. It was not pleasant. A business owner asked me what I did. I told him, ‘I help people and companies live the lives they want so they can live the legacies they intend.’
He paused, and I said, ‘Some people do not think they have time for legacy. I believe we all leave legacies every day. If we wait, it’s too late.’
He paused again and said, ‘I just want to have fun,’ and then he turned around and walked away. Ouch!
The puzzling interaction made me curious. I did not intend to be heavy. I would like to have had a conversation about a legacy of fun.
I am not bashful about my passion regarding the power of everyday legacies. Legacies represent our impact on others and what we leave behind with them. It answers the fundamental question, ‘Do people feel better or worse due to my interaction with them?’
My contemplation led me to the famed children’s author, Dr. Seuss, a legacy soothsayer. I trust the following Theodore Geisel truisms will bring a smile to your lips, warmth to your heart, and contemplation to your mind.
- ‘You have to be odd to be number one.’
- ‘Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you.’
- ‘People are weird. When we find someone with weirdness that is compatible with ours, we team up and call it love.’
- ‘Sometimes the questions are complicated, and the answers are simple.’
- ‘Even though we may all become extinct, we can still leave a footprint in the sand.’
- ‘Be yourself, and the people that don’t mind are the people that matter.’
- ‘Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.’
- ‘Sometimes, you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.’
- ‘Why fit in when you were born to stand out?’
- ‘Today, I shall behave as if this is the day I will be remembered.’
Making an impact in ways that matter to you is highly correlated with happiness, making it a worthy focus.
I cannot fathom anything more worthwhile than helping people live the lives they want and lead the companies they desire, so they can live the legacies they intend. Isn’t that what we all want?
Can you imagine if we all did that? What could be more potent?
Please reach out to me if you want to amplify the fun and mattering of living the life you want and leaving the legacies you intend to benefit yourself and others, including your team and your company. I welcome the conversation.
Robert Hackman is the founder and principal of 4C Consulting and Coaching. He provides executive coaching for leadership impact, growth, and development for individuals, teams, and organizations. Committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, he facilitates trusting environments that promote unusually candid conversations. Rob is also passionate about the power of developing Legacy Mindsets and has conducted over 50 Legacy interviews with people to date.
A serious man with a dry sense of humor who loves absurdity can often be found hiking rocky elevations or making music playlists. His mixes, including Pandemic Playlists and Music About Men, among others, can be found on Spotify.
Bravely bring your curiosity to a conversation with Rob, schedule via voice or text @ 484.800.2203, or rhackman@4cconsulting.net.