Tip #27: Live Your Legacy

“What does legacy mean to you? So often we think about our legacy as something that happens after we’re gone, or the way people will remember us. I prefer to think about legacy as something we live today. We build our legacy on the foundation of who we are, the values we hold dear, and the actions and impact we make in the world around us. I can change my legacy by changing my behaviors.

Legacy is a living, breathing reminder of what matters most. Identify what matters most to you.”

As promised by 128 Tips to Make You a More Effective Leader, sixty seconds a day is all it takes to make changes that matter... and one clocked in at only 31 seconds!

By my calculations, that gives us another 29 seconds to pat ourselves on the back for a job well done!

Who we are has a greater influence on our legacy than who we were.

Let’s think of our legacy as our shadow: it takes its lead from what we are doing. right. now.

We change; it changes.

As long as we are standing tall and proud, our legacy will follow suit.

We must trust in that. If we don’t, we will constantly be looking over our shoulder trying to see our imprint on the world…instead of actually making one.

What’s more impressive? More intriguing?

The shadow projected by the person marching confidently toward their destiny, eyes focused on their mission?

OR

The shadow projected by the person looking in their wake, eyes focused on catching a fleeting glimpse of how they appear to others?

The wisdom of Walt Whitman still echoes after all these years:

“Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and the shadows will fall behind you.”

How are you living your legacy today? And what must you change to make you even prouder of who you are?