Memo to Self: Creating Your Legacy

Legacy is not leaving something "for" people. Legacy is about leaving something "in" people.

October 04, 2019

“Leadership” is a concept we often resist. It seems immodest, even self-aggrandizing, to think of ourselves as leaders. But if it is true that we are made for community, then leadership is everyone’s vocation, and it can be an evasion to insist that it is not. When we live in the close-knit ecosystem called community, everyone follows and everyone leads.” — Parker J. Palmer

How do you want to be remembered?

It is imperative to think about your legacy because you are writing and cultivating it daily. Each day you are granted the precious opportunity to live, serve, learn, coach, love, parent, lead, and discover you are building character as well as creating a legacy that will follow you through your life and beyond. Live and leave a committed life behind filled with distinctive footprints of achievement. No matter the circumstances always aspire to provide real value and to create moments that matter.

Legacy is not leaving something "for" people. Legacy is about leaving something "in" people. A legacy is not just about leaving what you earned but what you learn. The things you do for yourself are gone when you go. But the things you do for others remain as your legacy. So always seek opportunities that carve your name on hearts, not merely tombstones.

It is never too late to design the life you wish to live. Life is always under construction. May the following Memo to Self serve as mindful affirmations that you do not need to have your whole life figured out to cultivate a positive imprint on the world and to leave a legacy of goodness.

  • Every day is a quest for the truth.

  • Live in the here and now humbly.

  • Do not seek, find. Do not keep, give.

  • Question reality.

  • Schedule mental cleanses.

  • Dumb doesn’t mean stupid.

  • Stay engaged with the world that is outside of your comfort zone.

  • Aging is a privilege. Enjoy the benefits of aging with grace. The ones who are granted longevity are the lucky ones.

  • Discover ways to collaborate with the best and brightest.

  • Look beneath the surface of things.

  • Live to thrive, not simply to exist.

  • Walk on the outer edges of life.

  • Value and celebrate people's differences.

  • Your growth depends on your willingness to be uncomfortable.

  • Open your mind to new possibilities while challenging the status quo.

  • Explore and confront what lies inside of you even the darkness.

  • One of life’s biggest challenges is to differentiate between what the world expects of you, and what you expect of yourself.

  • Approach life with a “I do not know” attitude.

  • Death is non-negotiable, so live fully and fearlessly.

As the late great American poet, Maya Angelou would say, "This is a wonderful day, I have never seen this one before." So today, make your life a remarkable story of love, courage, service, and perseverance. While we do not live forever, our legacy does. Remain patient and kind to yourself as you discover a life worth living and a legacy worth leaving!

P.S. If you are in search for a book recommendation, our team at The Daily Coach highly recommend Imagine It Forward: Courage, Creativity, and the Power of Change by Beth Comstock and Tahl Raz. This book provides inspiring, fresh, and candid storytelling to illustrate that the change and problems we grapple with every day cannot just be solved using one fixed mindset.

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