ARE YOU LIVING FOR YOUR RESUME OR YOUR EULOGY?

What will you put on your eulogy? Whatever you write in your eulogy the truth is it will likely be very different from what you would write in your resume.

I’ve read articles on this topic a few times that intrigued me but the one that particularly rang close to me was the 2013 piece that Arianna Huffington wrote. “The eulogy is the foundational document of our legacy, of how people remember us, of how we live on in the minds and hearts of others,” said Huffington.

Yes, no matter how much of a long resume you will have, you are not likely going to a funeral saying he was a great salesman who ate at his desk each day and worked all day long. Or is that perhaps how you’d like to be remembered as?

We say we care about the long run but so many of us are focused on rushing after the short term outcome. From work, family, life, to every milestone. What are you truly living for? Best outcomes do not happen overnight. Innovation does not happen overnight.

Our best creative insights are not born overnight. Even something good can become greater when we incubate, listen and learn. There is always room for growth. I think a lot about this question as I work with multiple companies, leaders and as I build my own company as an entrepreneur.

It is so tempting to want to reach for a faster and easier solution. But at the end of the day, companies like Walt Disney or leaders like Mark Zuckerberg do not happen overnight. You have to think of the long term and be determined to keep showing up, learning and growing your creativity.

This month, as we look back at the first three years of our company growth, I think about this message even more deeply. I’m deeply humbled.

I’m excited to share this 2018 impact report because this is our expression and humble reflection of gratitude, honesty, and excitement we feel for the future.

Honestly, building a company is not easy, and even more so when you are creating a new domain. The challenges we face gets harder but more impactful each time. And each moment, I think about why we choose to do this despite these challenges.

We know there are new challenges that will continue to await us. But we are here for the eulogy. Not for the resume. We are here to leave a longer impact on society and every step we take is a step closer to empowering one more person and one more company at a time.

Thank you for being part of this journey. We look forward to continuing walking this talk with you as we seek your wisdom, compassion, challenges, love, and curiosity. Together we know we will continue to empower this community that creativity is for all.