The Importance of Legacy
By Adam Coughlin, Managing Partner at York IE
There is a yard in my neighborhood that looks like it emerged from the pages of Landscape Architecture Magazine. It is so beautiful that my kids literally refer to it as the house with the beautiful yard. On our walks over the years, we would see the owner — on his hands and knees — with shears pruning the bushes. We did not know him. But we could feel his pride and joy every time we passed.
About two years ago, we learned that the man had passed away. This weekend when we walked past his house, the yard was no longer a masterpiece. It looked like every other yard in the neighborhood. There were even a few patches where the grass no longer grew.
It made me think of legacy and what happens to the things we’re so passionate about once we’re gone. Sometimes our efforts inspire a new generation to carry on the torch. But more often than not, the grass just sort of keeps growing. But does that make the work or the accomplishments any less valuable? If you have a love for something and a talent to make it better, is there anything more noble than dedicating yourself to that?
I have been thinking a lot about my own legacy this past week. In my personal life, I have committed to playing a greater role in the myriad of important social and cultural topics swirling around us. On the professional front, the team at York IE has been dedicating ourselves to chasing down our vision of helping reshape how startups are built, scaled and monetized. It has been a challenging environment in which to grow a business but each day we seem to uncover areas we can add value to the startups who trust us with their growth.
I do not know what will happen when it is all said and done. I do not know if any of my efforts will echo through the ages or simply live on quietly in my childrens’ hearts. But I do know that I will be able to look back and say I fought like hell for things I thought bigger than myself. And to me, that fight, will certainly be my masterpiece.
