I want to thank my fellow team member, Colleen Hartigan, this week for sharing some knowledge that inspired this message. She shed insight with me about what happens when a whale dies. It’s called a “Whale Fall” and once they rest at the bottom of the ocean floor, they are able to support entire ecosystems. The depth of the ocean makes it difficult for scientists to study Whale Falls, however in the rare situations where they have been able to, they have found over 12,000 organisms representing 43 species living on the Whale Fall. Some of which only exist under the conditions provided by the deceased whale. The carcass can provide life for decades - in some cases longer than the whale was alive.

My learning about the legacy of a whale, and their ability to have an impact long after their death, coincided with the anniversary of the passing of one of my best friends in college, Matt “Guns” Meyer (nicknamed Guns because he had huge biceps). Guns was killed in a car accident in July of 2004, yet his legacy is alive and well among our tight knit group of friends. “Guns” is tattooed on biceps in our circle of friends, has been given as a middle name for a child, and stories are often shared about the joy he brought to our lives. A text to our group chain recently read; “Still miss this kid every day, but just as he did in life, his death brought us closer together. I love you guys!”

I am inspired to think about the legacy we can create in our lives both personally and professionally through our companies. Simon Sinek has talked about the infinite game of business in which organizations can shift their mindset to live well beyond their current states. Organizations that are working toward something bigger than the products they sell. It’s easy to get caught up in the now and what needs to be done immediately, but I’m not sure how much that really adds to our legacies.

Author Shannon Adler, wrote; “Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” I think we all need to ponder if we are making decisions that will be remembered tomorrow, or remembered 50 years from tomorrow? Are we impacting others in ways that will leave a positive mark on their lives? And like the whale and my buddy, Guns, are we creating a legacy that will live on long after we are gone?