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.  

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.  

What is the effort, attention, and work you are putting into building your legacy?  Artists pour their blood, sweat, and tears into their body of work.  Your legacy demands the same focus and energy for you are an artist with a story to tell.  

Are you trying to control the narrative of your story?  Or, are you seeking freedom to explore where your story goes?  Excessive control limits and harms relationships.  Freedom represents mutual respect when building a relationship.  Remove the burden of attempting to control your legacy and embrace the gift of freedom to design it.  

We want to tell our story.  However, when our health is compromised, we lose direction of the narrative and transition from writer to bystander.  The relationships we build and the consistency of our voice will enable others to speak for us when we can no longer speak for ourselves.  One of the vital functions your legacy carries out is to be your surrogate decision-maker when you are incapacitated.  

Stan Lee changed storytelling in comic books.  He elevated the medium from funny pages to graphic novels.  He shine a spotlight on the writers, artists, letters, and colorists by starting the credit box.  His legacy improved storytelling and inspired generations to be storytellers. 

Family stories connect past generations with future ones.  Family stories increases our vision and understanding of those close to us.  Ask to hear stories from family members and you will increase your sense of self.  Tell your story to family and you will expand their world.  

Fables, legends, and epics have inspired us throughout the ages.  We have handed down these stories to the next generation.  Listen to start thinking of your legacy in grander scale.  This perspective will strengthen the impact of your story in order that future generations will be able to appreciate its full value.  

What you fight for and when you fight contributes to your legacy.  How you engage in conflict is a reflection of your leadership, how you value relationships, and the story you want to tell.  

Money talks.  When people see your stewardship of your earnings, what is the message being delivered?  How we view and spend our money is a large part of legacy.  Are you working to leave your children an inheritance or a legacy?