In high school I participated in speech competitions called forensics, as did many of my friends.  One friend had a speech impediment which made it difficult to understand what she was saying.  I often wondered what made Carol brave enough at 16, to speak in front of an audience and panel of judges.

At our class reunion last year, Carol shared that our English te

acher, Mr. Meredith, tutored her after school to improve her diction and her self-confidence.  With tears in her eyes, she gave testimony to those life-changing sessions that gave her the assurance and determination to compete.  Mr. Meredith dented Carol’s universe.

Steve Jobs coined the phrase “put a dent in the universe”, as he did when he introduced the Macintosh in 1983.  Few of us will make such a spectacular dent in our careers, but we can dent our universes in imaginative and lasting ways.

Your universe includes your family, your community, your work,

your place of worship.  It includes the people you train, coach, mentor, cajole, discipline and love.  It is all the people who are affected by your words and deeds. For some, the dent will be small and fleeting.  Others will remember you as long as they live.

For good or naught, you are leaving a legacy: be intentional.  Combine your passions and your sphere of influence to make a positive impact on the lives of those around you.  You may never know the impact you have on someone, but never stop trying to leave a dent.