You might think that this is a grandiose idea – your legacy. You don’t have to be Wayne Gretzky or Taylor Swift to have a legacy. Maybe the concept is easier if we call it your story – what are a few notable facts about you, or things you have done that you want your children or grandchildren to remember.
A personal experience made me reflect about this. When I was a child, I remember my grandfather starting to tell me stories of his life and work in the province of Newfoundland, and my grandmother stopping him with “no-one wants to hear that again”. He was a doctor, and a few of the stories stuck – like the woman who came to him with a whole egg stuck in her throat, or the man whose leg my grandfather amputated because of gout (and was given the leg bone as payment!). I was always impressed with his interest in my work and career, but only later in his life did I begin to ask more about his background. Sadly, I didn’t ask him all the questions I would love to if he was still with us. But I did some research. My mother and my uncle both recorded some stories that my grandfather told them, and I devoured them. And there were news media items that I found. Amazingly, I discovered that my grandfather and his brother-in-law were the first doctors in the province of Newfoundland outside of St. Johns. My grandfather was not only the doctor for a 100-mile area – as the only educated person in his area, but he also ended up being the vet, the pharmacist, and sometimes the mayor of the town where he lived. He made some of his own medications – like cough medicine and hand lotion. He was credited with being a medical pioneer – an amazing legacy! But to my grandfather, that was just his work, and nothing more.
You don’t have to have this extent of experiences or impact to have a legacy. Maybe work maybe personal. A few I have heard of:
- An aunt who made the best raspberry jam ever
- The college professor who developed self-confidence and professionalism in his students
- Parents who made their home so welcoming to their kids’ friends that the friends remain close to the family for decades later.
- An avid gardener who tirelessly worked at a local garden and morphed it into a tourist attraction.
If you take a minute to think about your stories, your work, and your hobbies. What stands out? What do you want your story to be? A legacy can include different things – notable accomplishments, meaningful activities, investments in others, and impacts you have on others. Ask other people to give you some feedback on this.
You don’t have to be 85 to think about your legacy. Jot down some points and keep adding to them as you think of them.
Let’s look at this from a business and career perspective first. If you built and successfully ran a company, that’s notable. Did you invent something? Have you published anything you are proud of? Did you create something in the arts? Maybe you have been an impactful volunteer?
In the area of publishing, you might think that you must have written a published paper on a medical discovery to call it notable. Not at all – a detailed and well-researched family tree and associated history is a wonderful contribution. Dedication to family and developing strong social networks are also part of a great legacy. Think not only about what you have done for yourself, your career, and your reputation, but also what have you done for your community, your family, or your country?
Your story is important. However you describe or explain it, you are unique. Big or small accomplishments, be sure you take time to chronicle your life story into a lasting legacy.