Let us explore a little bit about this concept of leaving behind a legacy.
Have you ever thought of what your legacy is going to be like? I know that at some point in your life, you had. In fact, most human beings have this inherent urge to leave something behind mainly because we understand that human life is not permanent.
Nothing is permanent!
Once we understand the very temporary nature of human life and realize that we are not going to be on this planet for long, it creates the urge to be wanted to be remembered when we pass away.
Because of this understanding, we want to leave behind some trace of our life that can be relevant to the generations that will come after us. I believe this is where our need to leave behind a legacy stems from.
Now, let’s talk about some of the common ways some people do in order to leave behind a legacy.
Having kids
The main reason why we have this need to procreate is so that we can leave behind a trace of our DNA on this planet.
One of the subconscious reasons for having kids is to leave behind a legacy. Somewhere behind that messy, loud, and most of the time demanding little human in front of you, you’ll be able to see that that child looks like you, behaves like you, and has some skills very similar to yours.
This is why we feel that by continuing our bloodline, we’re actually leaving behind our legacy.
Building organizations
Very successful people start companies that create a huge impact on this planet that long after the founder is gone, the company continues to serve millions of people throughout the world.
One perfect example is Apple. After Steve Jobs passed away, the company continued its growth, impacting humanity in such a big way.
Even if the founder of these successful companies would pass away, they leave behind a legacy which consists of the organization itself, the team that makes up the company, and the brand that represents the whole business that these brilliant founders have created.
These successful organizations continue to live long after the founders are gone.
Giving back
Most inspiring people leave behind a lasting legacy for charity. These types of people are selfless philanthropies, leaving behind a good cause after they are gone. In fact, these “Mother Teresa”-esque people who have walked on this planet whose charitable work speaks for itself have created non-profit organizations built around altruism. They create these trusts and foundations which continue to do the great work of giving back even after they are gone.
Creating art
Artists such as singers, actors, painters, sculptors – anyone who is creating a piece of art is leaving behind their legacy as their art continues to stay long after they are gone.
Most popular actors who performed in classic movies who have since passed away remain famous to this day while the movies they acted in remained as timeless flicks delivering heady nostalgia to both the older and younger generation.
Indeed, these famous classic movie actors have left a legacy behind in the form of their work, which is art.
These are some of the common ways that I see people leaving behind their legacies.
Whether it is to have kids, to found great companies, it could also be starting a charitable foundation, or it could be leaving behind your pieces of art.
All these ways of leaving behind one’s legacy take a lot of time and effort. Something so valuable that can last much longer even after the founder has passed away would take years and years to build.
Today, let me tell you one of the fastest ways to leave a legacy!
Write a book!
By writing a book, you are essentially collecting all the knowledge that you have, your wonderful stories to tell, and the valuable messages that you want to share with the world. It may only take you about 3 to 6 months to put up a book together, publish it, and make it available to anyone in this world to read and learn from you.
Writing a book lets you leave a legacy.
There is a high probability of your book being read by people even long after you’re gone. If your book is packed with value and it touches the lives of people, people will have the urge to share your book with their friends and families. Thus, your message will never die. It will remain in the form of a book. And your book will continue to impact thousands if not, millions of people when they read your book.
If you love reading self-help books, I’m sure you never missed the book, Think and Grow Rich.
Only after Napoleon Hill’s demise, his book, Think and Grow Rich, became famous. Today, millions continue to read the book. And nothing but gratitude towards the author is felt by these people after reading. This would be a true example of leaving a legacy.
In my opinion, writing a book is far easier than starting an organization with a name and brand that will last a lifetime. In fact, writing a book is even easier than raising a kid!
If you’re saying that you’re not old enough to think about leaving a legacy, it’s time to face today’s reality. Times have been even so uncertain nowadays that anything can happen to anyone. When it comes to the question of legacy, especially with our current situation, don’t wait until you’re too old enough to think about it.
Are you already doing something that is an inspiration to some or to the people you know?
Maybe your health is phenomenal, your relationship is doing better, or you’re just basically great at a certain hobby you’re pursuing.
Upon realizing that you have something that would be of real value to a lot of people who want to reach the position you’re already in, somehow, it becomes somewhat your moral responsibility or obligation to make the world a better place by sharing what you know.
And I believe that there’s no better way to share your message but by writing a book!
Now that I have planted a seed of writing a book in your mind, you may now be thinking, “Do I have it in me to become a successful author?” I suggest you check out my video, “The Five Attributes of Successful Authors”, and see for yourself if you have already acquired those 5 attributes or if you still need to develop those attributes to become a successful author.
Don’t think too much! Just grab your pen and paper or open Word Doc and start writing your book!
If you find this blog useful and has triggered that idea of leaving a legacy behind in your mind, then please don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and our Podcast!
I would love to know your thoughts on leaving behind a legacy, so please comment down below so I can read each one of them and learn something from you.
Happy Authoring!