Leaving a Legacy Thru Your Career – Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and Michael Jackson

Just turn on the TV or the computer and you will see countless stories, articles and comments on the passings this week of Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and Michael Jackson. 

I’ve heard several people ask, "Why do we get so impacted by people we didn’t really know?" To me, it’s because we take it personally. Seeing their passing makes us once again realize that someday we too will pass. This is tough to swallow especially for people who aren’t living life the way they want. 

I often see this as a career coach. People seek out my services at key moments in their lives – like a milestone birthday. They are frustrated because their life and career is not as far along or as fulfilling as they thought it would be. The good news is that these people reach out to me because they are ready to take action with their careers – choosing to no longer be passive recipients of what happens but defining and going after what they truly want.

If there’s a shared legacy that Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and Michael Jackson leave – it’s that they were tireless in creating the careers they wanted. No one sought them out to offer them lives of fame and riches. In fact, if you read the biographies of these individuals you will see that it was their hard work and dedication that made them the icons we miss today. 

If you’re feeling impact from the passing of these talented people, perhaps it’s because it’s time for you to fully express your own talents. Think about it and I’ll leave you with a sentiment. It’s from one of my favorite dream the impossible dream stories, Man of La Mancha so that you too can take action to further define your own legacy, "It’s not why did he [or she] die, but why did he [or she] live." 

What is your impossible dream? Are you living it? Share your comments here – studies have show that by writing down what you want and putting it out there, you increase your chances of success by 10 times. Now let’s hear it!