The sudden passing of Gugu Zulu highlights one thing that stands out from his life.

He cared enough to do work that matters. He is one celebrity who used his position to care for others, not flaunt his success.

What do you care enough to fix, or disrupt, or invent? Starting right here, right now.

What is it that you do that shows that you care for others. You dont have to do it for show, people who do work that matters, are not doing work that is popular, they are doing work that changes some people.

If we are willing to suffer enough to matter, we are able to make change happen. Or at least we can try.

Caring, it turns out, is a competitive advantage, and one that takes effort, not money.

I think the point is that success does not start from being smarter or better or more talented than other people.

Success starts out as an emotion, something deep and dark and mysterious and personal and very, very existential.

Care. Care more than you need to, more often than expected, more completely than the other guy. 

Who are you connecting?

What do people say when they talk about you?

Who are you trying to change?

What does the change look like?

Would we miss your work if you stopped making it?

What do you stand for?

What contribution are you making?

In an individualist world we live where success is a cut throat exercise, it is very rare for a person to take their time and spend it caring for a stranger and expect nothing in return.

Gugu and Letshego’s relationship was not made in red carpets, glitz and glamor horse events. Their relationship was made doing things that mattered.

Others can write better about Gugu’s legacy, but I have learned the following from your life:

If you don’t require the journey to be easy or comfortable or safe, you can change the world.

Lala ngoxolo Gugu Zulu.

You truly mattered.