Live to leave a legacy

BY HENRY UKAZU

Dear Destiny Friends,

Life is about legacies; both negative and positive. However, the question one needs to ask himself is, which legacy would I want to leave behind? To understand legacy, just imagine a dead man about to be buried. A lot of people will gather to witness the event, and each of them will have something to say about the deceased. Some might be positive, some negative, though only the positives are used because of the convention that evil is not spoken of the dead as an act of respect. One distinct thing is that there will be an eulogy about the deceased presented by a family member or friend showcasing the lifestyle of the person, and of course, the legacy he left behind.

When we talk of legacy, some people get it twisted. The best definition of Legacy is by Peter Strople, which states that ‘Legacy is not leaving something for people. It’s leaving something in people. This is because some uninformed minds might think legacy is having titles, leaving money, property, etc for family members and friends. They fail to understand that there are legacies money can’t buy and these legacies are intangible. They include kindness, love, gratitude and respect.

Each of us has stories, and it is our stories that define our legacies. As a student, entrepreneur, parent, employee etc., it’s imperative you leave your footprint wherever you go. The question you really want to ask yourself is what legacy would I like to leave behind as a student? Would you want your colleagues or professors to see you as a serious or unserious student? As an entrepreneur, how would you like your clients or prospective clients to perceive you? As a parent, how would you like your child/children to remember you when you are no longer on the surface of the earth? According to Bill Graham, “the greatest legacy one can pass on to his children and grandchildren is not money or other material things, but a legacy of character and faith.” As an employee, how would you like your employer and your colleagues to remember you?

Every one of us was given a purpose at creation. Your purpose determines your function. From birth, a baby grows, matures, and becomes an adult. As the child grows, they begin to make choices on what they like and dislike. But more importantly, the child will determine a cause they are passionate about.

The purpose of this article is to raise your consciousness about what you will want the world to remember you for. On a personal note, I will like to leave a legacy of someone who inspired the youths, uniformed and humanity; also I will like the world to remember me as someone who helped people to unleash their potential.

Whatever your profession, vocation or ministry is, you can use it to leave a legacy. If you are a Life Coach, do your best to use emotional intelligence to help those in need, if you are a teacher, do your best to teach with love, if you are a leader, be a servant-leader. According to Maya Angelou, ‘If you’re going to live, leave a legacy and make a mark on the world that can’t be erased.”

I strongly believe the joy of life is not how happy you are but how happy others can be because of you. One of the best things you can do for anyone is make an impact in their life and this impact does not have to be money or gift, you can just use your attitude to speak the words.

In conclusion, always remember everyday you live on planet earth, you are living a legacy, so do your best to live the best life ever.

Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He’s a Human Capacity & mindset coach. He’s also a public speaker. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the author of the acclaimed book Design Your Destiny – Actualizing Your Birthright To Success and President of gloemi.com. He can be reached via [email protected]