What is Your Life's Footprint?

Nowadays its common to hear about carbon footprint, ecological footprint and digital footprint. You can even calculate your carbon footprint - the amount of carbon you are contributing yearly to the atmosphere. There is nothing wrong with that. We all need to be good stewards of this wonderful earth we all inherited. But have you calculated your life's footprint as to what your life is contributing to this world and the legacy you are creating? Have you ever paused to even think about leaving a footprint on the world? If you were to calculate your life's footprint what would it amount to? How would you even measure it?

A few years ago when I hit a wall in my life, I asked myself how did I get here? Funny thing is I was doing well in my career enjoying many rewards that came with a successful career. I was in the top 10% income bracket and living the so-called good life.

How did I transform from being an authentically good person who boasted of leaving a positive footprint in the world to living an "I, me and myself" life? More I thought about it more frustrated and angry I became to learn how the busyness of keeping a career progressing "at any cost" had taken a toll on my beliefs and value system. I had strayed from my dream of making a positive difference in the world - to leave a huge footprint on this world.

We live in a fast-paced digitally enhanced world where people text more than the talk, take pictures more than enjoy the present and have become absentee citizens in the shared space on earth. I was one of them too. Having acquired college degrees, nice corporate job titles I too had become an absentee citizen, living for myself and maybe for a few others in my family. From the outside, everything looked fine and dandy. But on the inside, I was at war with myself trying to figure my place in this world.

The True Definition of SUCCESS

It all changed when I attended an entrepreneurship conference where I heard the keynote speakers define SUCCESS as how many people are better off because you lived. It was like someone pushed a reset button in my brain. Everything came to a screeching halt. I had rediscovered my life's purpose. My passion was to always help others live better lives, give them hope and ignite their minds for the endless possibilities.

What's your endgame?

To calculate my life's footprint and my endgame I had to ask two important questions: What do I want to do day-to-day? What do I want my legacy to be?

From absentee citizen to active citizen

We are not meant to be alone and live disconnected. We are here to make an impact, leave a positive footprint. I had to first start making an impact in my community. To make a difference in my community, I had to reach out to people around me. I changed my mindset. I became more present, more aware of people around me. I started to make new friends by striking conversations with strangers first by asking what they do and where they come from. Then I started asking more meaningful questions to develop a deeper connection with people. I had to become an active listener, fully engaged and paying attention to others. I wanted to become an encourager and open doors for others for a better life.

These are few things I started doing to leave a positive footprint on this world:

• A legacy of excellence - become the best version of yourself. Whatever you do, do it with all your might.
• Be the best encourager - Investing your life in others. Be a positive influence and perhaps role model or mentor to others.
• Go into each day with the intent of finding someone to encourage.
• Open door of opportunity for others.

A few years ago someone opened the door of infinite possibilities for me - I found an opportunity to receive mentorship from people who were in life where I wanted to be. I credit greatest accomplishments in my life to my mentors. We all have stories to tell and people to impact. We too can open doors to infinite possibilities for others.

Making new friends and finding mentors may just change your life. It did mine. Pay forward!

--Anish Babu.