Conversations: Legacy

Creating a Legacy sounds egoistic and pompous often. People get uncomfortable when asked what is your legacy? Even more uncomfortable when asked, what legacy do you want to create? Images of dictators and stories from history come flooding thinking about the bad legacies that were created or images of kings who fared wars to create their legacy of their nation.

But not all legacies are about conquering, owning and self-aggrandizement.

We can create legacy of kindness, compassion, humanity. Think Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa and so many people who became very influential thanks to their kind work. But not all of us will go on to do work at that scale and even if we did something big, may never be recognized for that. But lack of recognition is no reason to not work on a legacy.

So how do I choose to create a legacy? By living my life using one simple question, ‘will my boys be proud if they heard about this?’

In this one question, the values and ethics that are right show up during those pivotal moments in life where the decision will be responsible for creating my legacy. Legacies are:

1. Created daily

2. Consciously created legacies are the best

3. Decision and behaviors you choose will create your legacy

Time and money are not resources but ‘priorities’. Where we spend them creates our legacy. And we all know priorities can change life. So go on and create a legacy for your kids, for the world will benefit with it too.