The Legacy Drawing Board

I revisit S1E32 when I talked about adult children leaving home as in inflection point in the legacies of the children and the parents.  This time, I bring my perspective as a grandparent on this powerful moment and how to prepare for it from both sides.  

There is a growing trend among Baby Boomers to leave no financial inheritance to their children.  The concept of "dying with zero" is increasing, partly due to the rising cost of living and to Bill Perkins' book that promotes the concept that spending your money now will yield greater happiness.  How you spend your money tells a story.  Have you given thought to how to tell a more meaningful story with frontloading with your use of money?  

Jeremy Horne is the CEO of Storypedia and has a passion for encouraging people to interview their family members, especially the ones from earlier generations.  In this episode, we discuss the value and importance of storytelling and building connections with our loved ones and with people we have just met.  

Angles play an important part in the game of baseball.  How you round the bases and position yourself to throw depends on the angle of your feet, shoulders, and head.  Life is a series of decisions.  To make better decisions, it is vital that you understand the angles of the situation before you and that you have prepared for this opportunity.  

All lives come with burdens.  How we respond to them determines our legacy.  Moreover, how we respect how others respond to their burdens also contributes to our legacies.  

Frame your story as a trilogy and began to see the power of your story.  Start by increasing your awareness of the people in your life and giving more thought to your purpose.  Journey forward with exploration of the unfamiliar and uncomfortable.  Conclude by committing to overcoming trials and tribulations.  All the elements are before you every day of your life.  Begin your adventure and finish with a stronger story.   

We envision ourselves as parents and grandparents.  However, do we anticipate when we are to step into the roles of patriarch and matriarch?  There is a difference between leading your immediate family and leading the family.  This episode discusses the importance of preparing for this possibility due to its significant impact on your legacy.  

Our lives are saturated with measurements.  Grades, standardized tests, work performance, credit ratings, net worth, and so on.  When it comes to our legacy, how should we be measuring it?  The key is to not compare yourself to others, but to seek alignment with your true north and to speak in the most authentic way possible.  

Walt Disney was a masterful storyteller who elevated the medium of animation.  He brought innovations to animation and created the theme park.  All of his efforts focused on assembling talented people to produce films for children and the child inside of us.  

We are all artists.  Some of us just need to find the courage to say it and the persistence to maintain our identity when it seems no one agrees.  Once you embrace your artistic nature, you can begin to design and create your legacy in a fashion that will touch minds and hearts for generations.