“At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” 

First Quote Post

I figured I’d start the quote post series with the one on the About Rich Life Habits page because it is the one that has resonated with me the most.

Since 2012 I have kept a quotes list in my phone notes saving lines that my friends have said or famous quotes that have stirred something inside of me. I have funny quotes that my buddies and I have said when we were in college and meaningful quotes like this one.

While I have no real connection to Maya Angelou other than the great respect I have for her as a person and writer, this is by far the most meaningful quote I have on my phone.

To me, this quote is all about impact and legacy. It is how you will be remembered – not necessarily when you pass away, but something as simple as leaving a room. 

This quote probably touches on more than just one of the Life Balance wheel categories so let’s go through a couple of them at a higher level.

Family

When I think of this quote in relation to Family, it leads to a very powerful and emotional response. Not only do I start to think about my legacy for my future family but the legacy and memories of my grandparents and great-grandparents.

They have such rich histories from the baby-boomer generation to something as simple as setting up an education fund for their great-grandchildren who they would never meet.

I am lucky enough to have met some of my great-grandparents but I was too little to remember them. But what I do remember is the stories of them and their lasting legacy through their children (my grandparents) and their grandchildren (my parents).

Friends

Pulling back on the emotional strings a little bit and focusing on how this quote relates to how I view friendship is also powerful and yet simple. Not easy, but simple.

Being there for people in your community greatly impacts their happiness and your sense of belonging to something bigger than yourself. “Being there” for someone, in my mind, doesn’t have to be something heroic. It’s usually the little things that make the biggest difference. I know we’ve all heard this before but I’ve employed this in my life and it has allowed me to generate lasting friendships.

What I am talking about is saying “hi” or asking how someone is doing through something as trivial as a text. It’s not even about the words I use in the text rather my actions showing that I am interested in them and their life. Doing this consistently over time is the hard part, but I know that persistence has made all the difference. 

Professional

Of course, being impactful at work and providing value to others can be a great way to excel in the business and professional world. People seem to gravitate to those that are the busiest because they are the ones getting things done. Creating value for others in the company or your customers is a great way to be remembered.

Everyone knows that the business world is all about connections. Companies with great customer service are usually the most successful. Employees that are friendly, great to work with, and make those around them better, usually get promoted the fastest.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I do find it interesting that this quote starts with how it is not about “what you said or did”. It’s not about your words or your actions, generally. How else can you make someone feel something for you if not through your words or your actions?

I would interpret this as saying, purposeful words and deliberate actions can help people remember how you made them feel. I have found that a combination of words and actions affects how people remember me.

At the end of the day, the biggest motivator for me in my life is impact. Making an impact on those around me drives me to be a better person every day. And that’s how I want to be remembered.

How do you want to be remembered?