The Dash of Life
What does the dash of life mean? Well, consider this, have you ever been to a cemetery or visited someone's grave site? I know, it sounds a little morbid and scary but in all likelihood, you probably stood at the foot of someone's grave and read the words and dates that were etched on the granite. I have always wondered how a few words, numbers, or comments etched in stone could define who a person was, what they stood for and accomplished, whose life they influenced, or the content or quality of that individual's life. You and I both know that there is so much more to the story than what the words in granite tell us.
As you stare at the stone, you notice the name. Is that what will define your life? Your name? Not likely, although some names do become synonymous with the accomplishments, either positive or negative, of a person's life. Will you be known for what you did during your life on earth? Maybe, maybe not; it's all up to you during your life, and for others to judge after your life. Will the quality of your life be measured by how many years you have lived? Not necessarily; there are people who live long lives and appear to accomplish very little, while some people can achieve greater deeds in a relatively short time. Will the specific date you were born or the date you died define your life? Probably not. The most important information on the stone tends to be the least noticed item on the stone, the dash.
The dash of your life represents everything you have done throughout your lifetime. It is your dash and yours alone. It is a direct reflection of the choices you have made and the decisions you have chosen to act upon. The better you make yourself, the better you make every area of your personal and professional life and everyone with whom you come into contact. The more you elevate your standards of personal excellence, the more you will notice that the people in your sphere of influence raise their standards. Armed with the knowledge that the number one thing you can do to make your life better is to make yourself better, now is the best time to start working on you. That means that no matter what barriers lie in the path of your personal improvement, you must be committed to doing whatever is necessary to overcome those barriers. It's not important that you like what has to be done to improve your life; you just have to do it.
To improve you dash of life radically and dramatically, you must approach life improvement with a "do whatever it takes" attitude. You have to invest yourself totally in your personal improvement. The more resourceful you become in making yourself better and the less willing you are to settle for the status quo, the greater your opportunity to shape your own destiny and improve the quality of your dash. As an added bonus, the better you make your own dash of life, the better you make the dash of everyone whom you come into contact. Remember, when it comes to shedding the limitations of the past, resourcefulness rules. It is never too late to start improving the dash of your life!
