Have You Defined Your Personal Legacy?

Your Personal Legacy is more than simply a statement of how you wish to be remembered after you pass on. It is something that enriches your life and reveals you and what your life is about to your family, friends, and your community.

Do you often think of and admire people who make a huge impact – scientists, visionary artists, empowering mentors and great leaders – but forget that you too impact your close circle with the way you live?

Just think about it.

Will your Personal Legacy reflect your core values, your standards of excellence and your deep beliefs? Your actions too impact the future of your family and friends – they will remember you as part of their life.

We want our life to matter in this world and be an example of how to live life for the future generations, true? The following excerpt from the“Twelve Pillars” by Jim Rohn & Chris Widener summarizes the concept of leaving a Personal Legacy very succinctly:

“Live a life that will help others spiritually, intellectually, physically, financially, and relationally. Live a life that serves as an example of what an exceptional life can look like.

Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else’s hands, but not you.

Leaving a legacy is like planting a tree. As that seed grows into a tree, it will provide seeds, so that future generations can then plant their own.”

Don’t let years, decades, even an entire lifetime go by without offering the best of you to those you love most!

So how do you go about designing a Personal Legacy that you can leave behind for generation to come?

Here is one method: visualize.

Fast forward to the end of your days, imagine you are on your death bed. When you look back on the life you have lived, what do you want to see?

• Do you want to see the life that was carefully designed and lived to the full extent or a life that just happened?
• What kind of a family did you nurture? What do your family members think of you? What do they remember the most about you?
• What kind of contribution would you have made to your community and society? Are you satisfied with the donations you made to charities?
• What kind of values would you have cultivated and lived by?
• How many friends would you have made? Are you proud of your friends and their achievements? How would they remember you?
• Would the people be quoting your life as an example to follow?
• Finally, if you had the opportunity to live again, would the life you just lived be an inspiration and an example for your new life?

Click here to subscribe to to our complimentary Living On purpose Ezine and download “My Personal Legacy Form”. Print and fill up the form in your own handwriting. There is tremendous power in just writing it down.

Don’t wait for your thinking to be crystal clear. Just get into action and start writing. Remember, this is NOT a one time exercise. As you continue on your path to self improvement, your awareness will increase and it is very likely that you will fine tune your Personal Legacy and your life purpose as you go along.

Get the full collection of forms, lists and worksheets for FREE with your subscription to our complimentary Living On purpose Ezine.