Is the World Better Today, Because you have Passed Through?

As each day passes, is the world a little better off because you have been here or have you had no effect or worse, you have left the world a little worse off, because of your passing. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a beautiful poem in which he measures success by how we leave in the world, as we pass through it. In his poem he states that we should “leave the world a bit better” because of our passing through it. That one phrase really stood out for me and has left an indelible mark burnt into my mind. It has been one of the driving forces behind the creation of my vision and mission for the future. That single philosophy fills my belly with fire every day and drives me to try my best, to positively touch the lives of as many people as I can every day.

As the tides change every day and the sea washes onto the beach, the sea leaves a beautiful line etched in the sand, showing us where it has been washing onto the beach all day. This cycle shows us the passage of the tide, as it recedes from and rises along the shore each day. As you pass through the cycles of your life, what type of mark are you leaving behind each day? Is there a positive mark etched in the earth, where you have stood each day, a mark that you are proud to leave behind, a mark that has made a difference to everyone or even just one person around you?

Is that mark you are leaving, showing that a person with great humility stood there, someone who valued everyone around them and someone who made an effort to leave the world a little better each day as they passed through it. Break away from the notion that success is measured by the size of your bank account, how much power you wield, or how many people admire you. Those are merely indicators of how hard you have worked, lineage or in some cases just blind luck.

I am in no way saying that accumulating great wealth cannot and should not be part of the journey. I am saying that you will live a very shallow and superficial life if the sole purpose of your life is accumulating wealth and power. You will live a far more fulfilled and meaningful life, if you strive to leave a wake every day, where you support, help and uplift as many people as possible.

How do you leave the world a little better each day, because of your passing through?

Action Idea: Look around your world and give freely of your time and resources to inspire everyone around you to grow and become more. However you feel it is best to allocate your resources to uplift those around you, give freely every day. My belief and drive, is to give to inspiration and never to desperation. I see it as my duty to uplift the spirit of any one who finds themselves in a place of desperation and inspire them to grow into a place of inspiration, i.e. a place where they can grow expand and inspire their own success.

I never give money to desperation as this only perpetuates the cycle of need. If you hand money to beggar, you are not helping, you are hurting them, as you are enabling them to remain trapped in a cycle of desperation. If you empower the beggar through education or by teaching them how to re-discover their passion and drive, you have really given them something of value. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him to fish and you have fed him for a lifetime. The greatest gift you can give to anyone is the gift of your time, experience and expertise as you mentor them and help them to grow.

The wealth that will flow to you as you aspire to leave the world a little better each day, will enrich your spirit and open the floodgates for unimaginable happiness to flow into your heart. When possessing monetary wealth, is secondary to spiritual wealth and the up-liftment of everyone around you, both happiness and all the comfort you require will flow into your experience.

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