Everyone you have heard of, seen, or encountered was a data point that shaped your understanding of the world.
They taught you about the possible states of human existence.
The homeless man on the street, the waiter in the restaurant, the celebrity on television, and the athlete in the stadium.
Your mother, your cousin, that kid down the street who kept getting better grades than you - all of these people taught you something about the world.
They taught you what life could look like, what things might be fun, which mistakes you should avoid, and which experiences you should yearn for.
Without saying a word, our existence on this planet informs the lives of many others.
If you don’t learn from the experiences in your life, others certainly will.
You don’t get to choose whether or not you will become a ‘role model’ - all you can decide is the kind of model you would like to be.
Even in our most selfish states, we are constantly contributing to those around us.
You don’t need to be a famous philosopher, industrialist, philanthropist, or inventor—you only need to exist and interact.
When you are aware of the trail you are leaving behind, you can be more intentional with how you’d like to use your time on earth to impact the rest of us.