So, How Would You Like To Be Remembered?

Last week, we hosted our India 2020 sales kick-off. The attendees included my entire team, the cross-functional partners we work with on a regular basis. Several members of the team are quite new & it was a great way to spend some time together & get to know each other.

Unlike regular corporate kick-offs, here at LinkedIn, we believe in knowing one another like we know our family members- after all, it is only imperative that we know each other well, given the fact that we spend over 40 hours every week with each other. While having conversations over a bonfire in the bone-chilling winter of Rajasthan, came a question which made a shiver go down my spine: “How would you like to be remembered?”

We never think of it really, do we? At least I had not given it a serious thought. We are millennials, we have time to think about these question, isn’t it? Or maybe we are just too scared to think about it. More often than not, we get so engrossed in living our day to day lives- sending kids to school, getting that sales deal closed, pushing V1.2 in the app store or raising that next round of funding, that the larger picture of our existence in this universe tends to disappear. In this quarterly results-driven world, most, if not all, tend to forget that there will come a day when you will be nothing but just a collage of memories. Death as a concept is so alienating/frightening that we, like most things that make us uncomfortable, tend to ignore its existence. However, the fact remains that, Yes, there will come a day when people won’t get to hear your voice, smell your scent or be able to hug you tight- you are going to become a memory. It is sad, frightening, uncomfortable but it is the truth.

While I don’t want to go into the details of what I answered, I know whatever I said cannot be the answer to such a hard-hitting, deep question. Past few days, I introspected & unsurprisingly I still do not have a strong enough answer. I mean- this universe is infinite & we are nothing but an atomically small particle here. Who are we but mere mortals to be “remembered as”? To top it all, even in our visible world, most of us are no Nobel winners or great inventors/writers/leaders/athletes that the entire world is going to remember us.

But then, even though we are atomic in the larger scheme of the universe, or non-existent for the 5 billion people out there, the small personal world we have is what matters, isn’t it? Digging deeper, for most of us, this world comprises of people. They are family, friends, colleagues, crushes, bosses, role models & whatnot. In this universe of ours, filled by people living a thousand emotions in a single second, how would one want to be remembered?

The answer gradually dawned upon me. Someone very close to my heart told me one drunk moonlit night- “Sagar, The world existed when we were born & it will continue to exist after we are gone. All I want is to leave the world in a slightly better condition than it was when I found it.”

 I find it so profound & heart-warming, yet simple. It is no big ambition- Not "I want to be remembered as the CEO of a fortune 1K” or “I want to cure cancer”. It is as simple as leaving the world slightly better than how we found it. And how do you leave the world in a better state? It is simple again- by doing good things, by being just a nice human being. Each one of us on this planet is a mix of good & bad- we just need to make sure good wins over bad most, if not all the time. Simple virtues of life- helping others when in need, putting others’ needs before you, being compassionate, helping create a level playing field, being empathetic, caring about people & most importantly loving everyone- can make the world a much better place than it is right now. And guess what- if you do this, everyone will remember you for the good soul you were. They will remember the time they spent with you was amazing, they will remember your hugs, your smiles, your ability to spread cheer, your enthusiasm to do good & most importantly- the efforts you took to love everyone unequivocally.

On the other hand, what we see in the current socio-political climate all is toxicity & negativity. We see people living in bad marriages for the sake of society, we see people stuck in jobs they don’t enjoy, we see people following the herd, we see people not making an effort to breathe a better life, to enjoy moments, to help others smile & live at least a day in a year for others.

 Why can’t we be the reason for someone else’s smile? Why can’t we forget “self” for a second and become one- a part of it at least- with our world? Try it for a day- let go of hard feelings, forget the bad memories, eradicate negativity from your life, stop speaking with toxic people for a day, spend time with your inner kid for a few hours. To put it simply, just be genuinely, nicely, amazingly & insanely good for a day to yourself and everyone around you!! Take that as a new year resolution- in 2020 you will be insanely good for a day! Make that two or three if you please & notice the change in the world around you! The flowers will be more colorful & you will be able to smell the goodness in people around you. More importantly, you will forward this to the next generation & the cycle will continue.

 Because “How Would Sagar like to be remembered as” should have a simple answer- “Sagar left the world in a little better state than how it was when he found it.”

On that note, have a great 2020 folks & wish you all a cheerful year!