For me, my benchmark was being an author and artist. Did I bring something entirely new and everlasting into the world that will be used in textbooks and classrooms until the end of time? Most likely not... However I did bring something new to those in my life, and for that I am greatful. My book (and landmark) certainly caused stir, it deals with alcoholism and how life is with an alcoholic father, but it has given people far and wide the hope for recovery and reconnection with family members. Maybe my pottery is lopsided, but it brought a smile to my mother's face whenever I gave it to her. Perhaps my watercolor isn't as realistic as I intended, but my grandparents spent hours marveling over it. I guess my poetry isn't as fluent as I would like it to be, but the anonymous poems I used to leave in the back of the classroom certainly caused commotion.
The "benchmark" is different for every individual, but it's there. It could be the moment you knock down your fear of stage fright or conquer a long overdue project. But I've noticed this moment is one that you'll always be able to look back on and recognize. That's because it's the moment you started carrying your head a little bit higher and your shoulders felt a little lighter even though the pressure of life didn't lift a single finger. This "benchmark" is a landmark in your life. It could be the single most influential moment on your life.
Maybe you've already found your landmark and appreciate where you've been and where you're going; if you haven't taken the time to do so maybe you should. Maybe you haven't experienced it yet and are longing for it. Just don't be the one who lets it slip away and forgets that moment. Don't let your landmark blend into the clouds. Fight for it, because it's the new you, the 2.0 version. This landmark is the little sign that shows you that you're on tre right path. That path could be sitting next to your sweetheart at eighty sipping sweet tea, or it could be rolling into the next great adventure.
Whatever is in the cards for you, I hope you take some time to stand next to the landmark on the pathway of your life and reflect on it. Take the time to enjoy this moment of your life, because it's one you'll always come back to.