Lifestyle: How to build a legacy

Before you leave this earth, what do you leave behind? What do you want people to remember you for after you’ve passed away? What is your legacy and how will it benefit future generations?

A legacy is a gift you leave behind without expecting anything in return. It may not always be tangible; its resting place is in the minds of people.

Legacies vary according to what one perceives to be important. One can choose to engage in a charitable course, like advocating and funding cancer awareness or building a business to serve as a positive force in the community.

Legacies don’t happen overnight. You have to create your legacy. Legacies come with varying levels of effort and commitment.

According to author Jim Rohn, “We are stewards of this world, and we have a calling in our lives to leave it better than how we found it, even if it seems like such a small part”

In this life, as important as it is to live in the present, what happens to the future? Is it going to be a sad tale when people call your name, or that of high praise?

These are a few tips to help you build your desired legacy.

1) Assess yourself. Look inward. What is it that you want people to know about you? What about you will influence others to want to learn from you? Remember that, it is only when you expose your potential that people can appreciate the ‘you’ that you are.

2) Identify your strengths. Everyone has a seed of prominence planted in him or her. It is that one thing you are best at. Discover it and make the most out of it. If you have to be known to the world, then it has to be something you are good at! Leave a legacy that you can smile about.

3) Share your experiences with others. No one really knows your story until you tell them. Share your wisdom and life experiences with the people around you. Be a problem-solver. Give back to society. Share the lessons that mean the most to you.Inspire others with your words.

4) Spend time building your legacy. Work at it every day. What you do today should impact generations to come. Start your success journey with your legacy in mind.

5) Be open to new things. Challenge yourself. Try new things. Take up new opportunities. Talk to those around you and see which strengths come up most frequently. Often, others will see your gifts more clearly than you do.

6)Live that legacy. You don’t need to die to be remembered; you can live and be remembered. Your life must be the expression of your legacy. People must see you how you want to be seen. You may have to make some behavioural changes, develop your character, get yourself educated from the school of life, adjust your lifestyle and build healthy relationships. It is only by changing the way you live will you be able to create the legacy you want to leave.

Whether you want to leave a tangible legacy, such as a building or an intangible legacy, such as values, remember that posterity will judge us all.