Swedish chemist Alfred Bernhard Nobel was largely known as a maker and inventor of explosives. In 1866, Nobel invented dynamite, which earned him both fame and the majority of his wealth. At one point in his life, he held more than 350 patents, operated labs in twenty countries, and had more than ninety factories manufacturing explosives and ammunition. Yet today, he is most often remembered as the man behind the Nobel Prize, the most highly regarded of international awards for efforts in peace, chemistry, physics, literature, and economics.
In 1888, a bizarre incident occurred, which seemed to have afforded Nobel an unlikely opportunity for reflection. When Alfred Nobel’s brother Ludwig died while staying in Cannes, France, the French newspapers mistakenly confused the two brothers and reported the death of the inventor of explosives. One paper’s headline read brusquely: Le Marchand de la mort est mort—the merchant of the death of the dead.
The incident had a significant effect on Nobel as he reflected on what his life was all about and how he would be remembered at his death. Most believe this was the event that ultimately led to his establishment of the Nobel Prize and the subsequent change in his reputation.
(excerpt from the book The True Measure of a Man by Richard E. Simmons III)
You may not have such an opportunity for reflection as Nobel, but you should ask yourself often: How do I want to be remembered? What do I want my life to be about once it is over? Live your life today with your legacy in mind.
