When many think of the word legacy, the central question is, “What will I leave behind for the next generation?” Will it be the family house, heirlooms, recipes, etc.? What typically comes to mind is a physical, tangible inheritance, but this perspective negates the value of knowledge and disregards the power of shared time.
My legacy building started with my nieces. As my world expanded through city hopping, international travel and life experiences, so did theirs. My goal is to give them and my bonus children the gift of possibility without limitation.
WHAT DO YOU SHARE?
From our years of life and experience, what is worthy of inheritance? The assessment for me comes in the areas of my greatest failures and successes. I want my loved ones to learn from what I wish I had done better, differently or known earlier. I also want them to know the paths that have led me to success, so they have a roadmap to follow and don’t have to figure everything out on their own.
They know about, and in some cases have met, the industry titans who are mentoring me. These introductions were made to show them that they don’t have to carry the burden of “knowing it all.” Leverage the expertise of others to reach your goals, and allow others to avail themselves of your wisdom and knowledge.
MINDSET OVER MATTER
Material possessions are fleeting; but a powerful mindset transforms dreams into reality for you and those who come after you. Other than the Bible and Midrash, a book that has been transformative in my perspective of faith is “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. I am an avid reader with a book collection that exceeds my shelf space. I don’t read for my sake alone. I read and distribute. New ideas become conversation topics for my children and nieces. A fulfilled legacy for me will be the manifestation of their dreams and the seeds of a growth mindset in the minds of the generation after them.
BUILD TOGETHER
Involving young people in conversations about business building, passive income, mindset and faith formation allows them to explore, question and develop more confidence at an earlier age. It is a journey of “we.” Underlying the conversations, texts and workshops is the message that I am invested in them.
