The Dash that Defines You

By Jesse Hardy, Principal & Founder, Purpose & Principle Driven

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I love graveyards.

No, I’m not some morbid ghoul lurking among headstones for the thrill of it. I don’t go looking for ghosts or whispers from the past.

But I do go looking for reality checks because if you ever need one, a graveyard will serve it up straight—no sugarcoating, no fluff, just the undeniable truth of where every single one of us is headed.

Take a moment and consider what’s on a tombstone.

There’s a name – yours, mine, the ones we love. If you’re a Believer, you can take comfort in knowing that God knows that name (Isaiah 43:1, John 10:3), and He has plans for it – plans greater than anything we could cook up on our own (Jeremiah 29:11).

There’s a date of birth – the day God saw fit to bring you into this world, not randomly, not by accident, but with a purpose (Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139:13-16, Esther 4:14).

There’s a date of death – one that none of us get to choose. God’s already got it circled on His calendar, and He alone decides when our time is up (Hebrews 9:27).

And then, right in the middle, is a dash – that little horizontal line, the smallest thing on the stone, yet the only thing we actually have a say in. That dash is every breath we take, every choice we make, every second we spend doing whatever we do between those two dates.

And that, my friends, leads to the most important question you’ll ever answer: What are you doing with your dash?

The Blueprint for Your Dash

It comes down to three simple words: Perception – Reality – Action.

We’re all walking through a world that’s been broken since the beginning, a Fallen world. And whether we like it or not, we see it through lenses – our own personal set of filters that shape how we perceive everything.

Those perceptions become our reality, and from that reality, we take action.

But here’s the kicker: most of us are using the wrong lenses.

The Lenses That Lead to Emptiness

King Solomon, the richest, smartest, most accomplished man of his time – maybe of all time – had everything a person could ever want.

And yet, after chasing every dream, indulging every whim, and stockpiling more wealth than he could ever spend, he concluded: It was all meaningless.

He was just a bitter old man shaking his head at a life wasted on things that never really mattered.

He lays it out for us in Ecclesiastes, like a cautionary tale from someone who learned the hard way:

●???? Wisdom & Education – “If I can just learn enough, if I can just get that degree, that certification, that title… then I’ll have a purpose.” Nope. Solomon calls it chasing the wind (Ecclesiastes 1:16-18).

●???? Pleasure & Indulgence – “If I can just go on that trip, eat at that restaurant, drive that car, have that experience… then I’ll be satisfied.” Wrong again. Solomon says it’s all meaningless (Ecclesiastes 2:1-3).

●???? Power, Possessions & Empires – “If I can just get that promotion, build my empire, make enough money… then I’ll be content.” Except, you won’t be. Solomon warns that you’ll just end up leaving it all to someone who didn’t earn it, can’t appreciate it, and will probably squander it (Ecclesiastes 2:4-10).

●???? Social Justice – “If I can just fix this injustice, fight for this cause, stand up for what’s right… then I’ll have peace.” But Solomon reminds us that as long as mankind’s heart remains corrupt, oppression will never end (Ecclesiastes 4:1).

Sound familiar?

Have you ever chased one of these dreams only to find yourself back where you started? Maybe you’re still chasing, still believing that if you just push a little harder, you’ll finally arrive.

Maybe it’s time to stop. Perhaps it’s time to take a lesson from a man who had it all and still ended up empty.

Because here’s Solomon’s final conclusion—the only thing that actually matters:

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

So What Are God’s Commands?

Well, my friends, it’s simple. Love God. Love people.

That’s it.

The whole Bible – every law, every prophecy, every teaching – boils down to these two things (Matthew 22:36-40, Mark 12:28-34).

And how do we do that?

By being Disciples and making Disciples (Matthew 28:18-20).

And how do we do that?

Three things:

1. Love God with everything you’ve got. Let that love spill over onto everyone you meet (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).
2. Do your work like you’re doing it for God Himself. Because, well… you are (Colossians 3:23, Ephesians 6:7, Galatians 6:9-10).
3. Be ready to tell people why you have joy. Because people are going to notice, and they’re going to ask (1st Peter 3:15).

Oh, and one more thing—simple doesn’t mean easy.

The Final Word

So, my friends, here’s the deal: your dash is yours to write.

You can spend it chasing the wind, or you can spend it building a legacy that matters.

The good news?

You don’t have to figure it out alone. God’s already given you the blueprint.

Fear Him. Love Him. Love people. Make disciples.

That’s the whole thing.

And if you’re ready to dig deeper to start Living Your Legacy Today, stick around – this is just the beginning.

I’ll be sharing more in the next three articles, and if you’re attending the August C-Suite Summit, I look forward to seeing you there, where I’ll be keynoting how to Live Your Legacy Today.

Until then, make your dash count.

You can reach Jesse at [email protected].

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