I often speak about the importance of our living legacy, but after losing a dear friend, it truly sank in that we create our legacy every day. Our daily actions, guided by our values, shape the impact we leave on others. By taking time for reflection, we can ensure that the story we write with our lives reflects who we truly are and what we hope to leave behind.
Beyond Life: Shaping the Memories We Leave Behind
Legacy is not what’s left tomorrow when you’re gone. It’s what you give, create, impact and contribute today while you’re here that then happens to live on. - Rasheed Ogunlaru
Legacy isn’t just what remains after we’ve passed—it’s the ongoing impact and contributions we make throughout our lives. Our legacy is shaped by our actions, relationships, and the positive changes we create in the present, which continue to resonate long after we’re gone. It’s not just about what’s left behind but how we choose to live now.
It’s Your Living Legacy People Speak About When You Die
Many of us don’t live each day wondering what people will say about us when we’re gone, but we do care about how we’re perceived while we’re alive. Our living legacy is deeply personal and shaped not only by what others say after we pass, but by how we impact them in real-time. Ultimately, it’s our actions—not just our words—that define our legacy.
Steps to Create a Meaningful Legacy
Building a proud legacy requires mindfulness and deliberate action. Regularly reflecting on your life helps ensure you’re living in alignment with what matters most to you. Here are some steps to create a meaningful legacy:
-
Reflect on Core Values
-
Identify Your Values: What principles guide your life? Legacy is often a reflection of living in alignment with your values, whether it’s kindness, integrity, creativity, or contribution.
-
Assess Alignment: Are your daily actions aligned with these values? If not, consider where adjustments are needed.
-
-
Evaluate Your Relationships
-
Impact on Others: Reflect on the relationships you’ve cultivated. Are you a source of support, love, and inspiration for those around you? A significant part of our legacy lives on through the people we impact.
-
Improve Connections: Strengthen relationships, seek reconciliation where needed, and build connections that foster mutual growth.
-
-
Assess Your Contributions
-
Professional and Personal Impact: What are the tangible ways you've made a difference, whether in your career, community, or family? Legacy comes from the actions that positively shape the lives of others.\
-
Create with Intention: Consider what skills, time, or resources you can contribute to leave a lasting impact.
-
-
Regularly Revisit Your Goals
-
Set Legacy-Oriented Goals: Think about what you want to be remembered for. Then, set goals that reflect this vision, such as mentoring others, creating lasting work, or giving back to the community.
-
Adapt as Needed: Life changes, so allow yourself to shift these goals as you grow, keeping your long-term legacy in focus.
-
-
Practice Gratitude and Humility
-
Gratitude for the Present: Take time to appreciate the positive influence you’ve already had. Reflecting on what you've done well encourages more of it.
-
Embrace Humility: A strong legacy isn't just about personal achievements and the humility to learn, grow, and improve.
-
-
Consider What You Want Said at Your Funeral
-
Imagine Your Eulogy: Ask yourself, "What do I want people to say about me when I'm gone?" This exercise can help highlight areas where you want to focus more energy or make changes.
-
Reverse Engineer: Once you have a clear idea of how you want to be remembered, reverse-engineer your actions to align with that vision.
-
-
Document Your Journey
-
Journaling or Reflection: Regularly journal about your life, achievements, and relationships. This process can help you stay connected to your intentions and track your progress toward building a meaningful legacy.
-
-
Mentor and Share Wisdom
-
Teach Others: One of the most enduring aspects of legacy is passing on knowledge and experiences to others. Whether it’s through formal mentoring or sharing life lessons with younger generations, this helps ensure your values and influence live
-
A Tribute to Michelle, My Dear Friend
My dear friend Michelle passed away several years ago, and her death was a terrible shock and loss for her family, friends, colleagues and the many people she touched. The outpouring of love and support both before and after her death was astounding, yet not surprising - Michelle was a truly special person.
After her passing, I reflected deeply on her life and legacy. Did Michelle know how much she was cherished? I hope so, but I fear she may not have fully realized it. Her illness came swiftly, leaving little time for reflection or farewells.
Michelle’s living legacy was remarkable. She always put others first, lived in the moment, and radiated love and kindness. That's just who Michelle was. While words cannot express how much she is missed, knowing that her legacy continues through the people she influenced brings comfort.
The Gift of You
In my book, Giving Back, How to Find Your Personal Joy and Make a Difference to Others, I discuss the concept of a living legacy and the “gift of you.” Here is an excerpt from that chapter:
The gift of you is part of your living legacy and will be unique for each person. You can determine what your impact will be today and what will you leave in the hearts of others. It is never too late to change our path and revisit what our legacy will be. While we cannot change the past, we have the power of the present and we control what happens today. We have the ability to move forward with purpose instead of looking back with regret. Each day is a fresh start where we have the opportunity to write and re-write our legacy through the way that we choose to live.
Living with Intention
Ultimately, the legacy we leave behind does not simply materialize after we're gone; it is built daily in our choices, relationships, and contributions. By regularly reflecting on our values, actions, and how we interact with the world, we can ensure that we are crafting a legacy that reflects our true selves, one we can be proud of.
The question isn’t just, “What will they say about me when I die?” but rather, “How am I living today so that my legacy speaks for itself?” The answer lies in the people we’ve touched and the lives we’ve influenced.
Make each day count toward building a legacy that endures. Take the time to reflect on the life you’re living. Use the power of now to visualize your future and intentionally craft a legacy you’re proud of. I did this when writing my second book, The Power of Emotion.
This article was originally published on September 2, 2017, and has been updated (October 2024).
More Motivational Reads Here »
How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?
Sign up for monthly tips to build your Emotional Intelligence and reduce Emotional Hijacking!
