There are several definitions of the word legacy, and it is widely understood to mean what is left in a will or testament to somebody. It often refers to something tangible such as an asset or money which is passed down after one’s death.

But a legacy also involves intangible things like birthright, influence and impact.

What will mourners, assuming there are some, say about you at your funeral? Will they discuss how much money you made and who’s been left what? Possibly, but I believe that how you impacted people’s lives will be a hotter topic.

Everybody wants to be remembered for something they did, the way they led their lives, and the values they upheld. It is in our DNA. John Maxwell says that “a legacy is not what we leave to people, it’s what we leave in people”. What we leave in people has a wider impact than tangible assets.

I have known several ‘trust fund babies’ over the years. These are people who inherit enough money never to be in need. Some of them make the effort to manage their inheritance, but many do not, and simply see out their lives with an ever-dwindling inheritance. They do not see the need for personal growth as they have enough and find no need for any activities which would require soul searching, introspection and reflection.

At the other extreme, I have also known people who have created much wealth, who have acquired many assets, but who have not displayed good judgement on the sharing of this financial success. Their life focus has been to amass more wealth. They have lost touch with the greater purpose and have disregarded the needs of others.

The ability to create wealth is a gift, and like all gifts, is intended for the benefit of others.

Happily, I also know people who display wise stewardship of their gifts and talents, and build great legacies in the form of ethics and values. These are people who understand that life is not all about them, that their gifts and talents are not for their own exclusive use, who put others before themselves, and do their best to add value to others. These are also people who pass on these character traits to future generations, and who will be remembered for what they have done for others.

Do you want to make life easier for your children and their children?

It is a biblical concept that a wise person leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.

In chapter three of ‘Developing the Leader within You’ John Maxwell states that character is the foundation of leadership, and this includes the hardest person to lead: ourselves.

There is a story of Alexander II, the Csar of Russia who was walking in the streets of Moscow when he came across a man who walked very upright, head held high, and who seemed unintimidated. The Csar was intrigued and asked him who he was. The man replied that he was a king. This surprised the Csar who then asked which country the man ruled. The man said that he had rule over himself, and this gave him the right to think of himself as a king. He was displaying self-respect.

This story has led me to examine my own life and my ability to have rule over myself. This a subject I touch on in my article ‘Why Introspect’.

Our values determine our legacies. What we treasure will shape our lives and our legacies. I have highlighted these two John Maxwell quotes:

“Financial gain is a tool for greater impact”

“Money does not define people, it reveals them”

I am not suggesting that we should not be leaving material things to our descendants and other worthy causes. Of course we should. But equally important is to leave a legacy of wisdom and integrity which does not lose its impact with time, and which cannot be corrupted or abused.

Going forward to your funeral, what would you like your eulogy to sound like?

Sadly, I have attended funerals where the preacher or speaker made it sound like they were saying goodbye to a saint, and not the person I knew.

If we are to leave a proper legacy, it must include good character. A good reputation is built on character, which takes consistent and focused effort.

Character is made up of four dimensions: authenticity, self-management, humility, and courage.

These are also the foundations of integrity, which calls on living what we preach.

Authenticity is about living an open life between failure and success because none of us is flawless. Good people do bad things; smart people do dumb things, but being transparent keeps us humble and authentic.

I have touched on the importance of self-management already, but I add that character does not revolve around intelligence but rather around making the right choices.

To acknowledge that our flaws are great enough that they need to be addressed, requires humility.

It takes courage to make character possible. It takes courage to push through tough experiences and suffering without losing hope. And hope is the fuel of courage. When we know for sure that for everything there is a season, we live with an optimistic attitude. We want to be beacons of hope, agents of encouragement, and good stewards of time, talent and treasure.

Just as love never fails, character always counts.

Character is built on the inside before it shows up on the outside. The result of developing strong character is self-respect, which comes not from accomplishments, but from making the right choices and experiencing inner triumphs.

In the final analysis character boils down to three main things: good values, self-leadership, and valuing people. What we stood for and what lines we refused to cross, both privately and publicly, will be remembered by a much broader circle than the few people to whom we left physical goods. Valuing people and placing others first in our everyday lives is what builds character and creates the kind of legacy we want to leave once we have moved onto greener pastures.

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Let’s build a worthwhile legacy together.

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