I recently came across this article titled “Take these 3 Steps Toward Your Personal Legacy Today” by Karen Daniels. Many people who have full-time jobs feel they have a need to be creative outside what might be considered a hum-drum job. This article encourages us to do more.
“Take these 3 Steps Toward Your Personal Legacy Today”
The world recently lost one of its most powerful innovators – Steve Jobs. There are a lot of awesome tributes to him. One of my favorites, though, was this simple image and phrase by BBM&D Strategic Branding (who does awesome work btw):
Many of us would not be doing what we are
doing today if Steve Jobs had not arrived on the scene. And certainly when we get to the end of our lives, not all of us will be able to say we made the same level of impact on the world that Steve Jobs did. But that does not mean you should not be working toward your own creative legacy – creating your own personal brand of high level impact.
Yes, it’s true that we often feel our daily living interferes with the ultimate potential of our creative legacy. But, it does not have to be that way. If you know what you want to do, and how you’re going to use what you do to develop your personal legacy, then you can make decisions with these goals in mind and step by step you will get there.
Use these 3 steps toward creating your powerful personal legacy – beginning today.
1. Make a Personal Vision Statement
In essence this addresses what you want to become. Having a personal vision statement will allow you to aim in the desired direction both personally and professionally. Your vision should get you excited, make you proud, and illuminate where you are part of something bigger than yourself. To get you started, begin by creating a list of things that you enjoy most. Now, write up your short list, the 2 or 3 things that really rock your boat – the things that fulfill you, the things which you would like to do every single day in order to feel complete. As you consider what to include on your lists, keep life balance in mind. For instance, you might want to include physical, spiritual, work, personal, financial, or other important areas. What would you regret not doing?
An important step for your vision statement is to actually write all this down. You can have a vision statement of just a few words, to fully developed pages. Do what suits you best.
Here are some examples for you from (humanresources.about.com). Short vision example:
“To inspire, motivate, and empower people to discover their life purpose and to reach their full potential.”
Longer vision example:
My vision is to be remembered when I’m gone from this life for enjoying every day I was blessed with; impacting every person that I had the pleasure of meeting in a positive way; inspiring all to dare to make their life’s work be something that is truly enjoyable and meaningful to them; motivating people to be innovative and to use the power of their creative minds; providing entertaining “stories” through daily interactions with others to help people to remember each day they had with me; helping people come to know and understand who they are and how easy it is to become who they’d like to be. I want to be loved – especially by my family – but by as many as possible, and to be able to come to love them as well. I’d like for people to tell tales of the times that we spent together for many years after I’ve gone; that will be the true measure of value of my time on this earth, or whether I was just successful at avoiding death for a long time.
2. Make Your Personal Mission Statement
Your mission statement helps define what you do and helps to explain your purpose. It’s the “why” of you. If you always select work, whether you work for yourself or for someone else, that aligns with your personal mission you will undoubtedly be happier than if you don’t. To create your personal mission statement, ask yourself when you are at your best, and when you are at your worst. Here is a nifty, easy to use Mission Statement builder (free) from Franklin Covey that will walk you through the steps to develop your starting mission statement. You can either utilize the statement as is, or take the statement and refine it in ways that satisfy you.
Short mission statement example:
I want to be the best writer in the world.
Longer mission statement example:
To realize my vision, I must exceed the expectations of my friends, family, and readers. I will accomplish this by committing to my values and creativity, and by aiming for, and offering to others, the highest levels of creativity, spirituality, and information of which I am capable. I will maintain a focus on the value of creative freedom and the expression of that freedom which is most appropriate for each person. In this way I will help ensure that I honor my values, that what I offer is creatively innovative, and that my own growth goals are met along with the growth goals of those I come in contact with.
3. Define Your Personal Values and Strategies
What do you cherish? What do you think and believe? Your personal strategies include the most important talents and personal traits that you can, and will, use to accomplish your mission and get ever closer to your personal vision. You are your own personal company; think about your strategies as the main values you will use to propel yourself forward. Here are 374 value words (from Steve Pavlina’s personal development for smart people) you can use as starting points. Select the ones that are important to you, put them in order of importance; look for the ones that are “part” of you.
1 Abundance
2 Acceptance
3 Accessibility
4 Accomplishment
5 Accuracy
6 Achievement
7 Acknowledgement
8 Activeness
9 Adaptability
10 Adoration
11 Adroitness
12 Adventure
13 Affection
14 Affluence
15 Aggressiveness
16 Agility
17 Alertness
18 Altruism
19 Ambition
20 Amusement
21 Anticipation
22 Appreciation
23 Approachability
24 Articulacy
25 Assertiveness
26 Assurance
27 Attentiveness
28 Attractiveness
29 Audacity
30 Availability
31 Awareness
32 Awe
33 Balance
34 Beauty
35 Being the best
36 Belonging
37 Benevolence
38 Bliss
39 Boldness
40 Bravery
41 Brilliance
42 Buoyancy
43 Calmness
44 Camaraderie
45 Candor
46 Capability
47 Care
48 Carefulness
49 Celebrity
50 Certainty
51 Challenge
52 Charity
53 Charm
54 Chastity
55 Cheerfulness
56 Clarity
57 Cleanliness
58 Clear-mindedness
59 Cleverness
60 Closeness
61 Comfort
62 Commitment
63 Compassion
64 Completion
65 Composure
66 Concentration
67 Confidence
68 Conformity
69 Congruency
70 Connection
71 Consciousness
72 Consistency
73 Contentment
74 Continuity
75 Contribution
76 Control
77 Conviction
78 Conviviality
79 Coolness
80 Cooperation
81 Cordiality
82 Correctness
83 Courage
84 Courtesy
85 Craftiness
86 Creativity
87 Credibility
88 Cunning
89 Curiosity
90 Daring
91 Decisiveness
92 Decorum
93 Deference
94 Delight
95 Dependability
96 Depth
97 Desire
98 Determination
99 Devotion
100 Devoutness
101 Dexterity
102 Dignity
103 Diligence
104 Direction
105 Directness
106 Discipline
107 Discovery
108 Discretion
109 Diversity
110 Dominance
111 Dreaming
112 Drive
113 Duty
114 Dynamism
115 Eagerness
116 Economy
117 Ecstasy
118 Education
119 Effectiveness
120 Efficiency
121 Elation
122 Elegance
123 Empathy
124 Encouragement
125 Endurance
126 Energy
127 Enjoyment
128 Entertainment
129 Enthusiasm
130 Excellence
131 Excitement
132 Exhilaration
133 Expectancy
134 Expediency
135 Experience
136 Expertise
137 Exploration
138 Expressiveness
139 Extravagance
140 Extroversion
141 Exuberance
142 Fairness
143 Faith
144 Fame
145 Family
146 Fascination
147 Fashion
148 Fearlessness
149 Ferocity
150 Fidelity
151 Fierceness
152 Financial independence
153 Firmness
154 Fitness
155 Flexibility
156 Flow
157 Fluency
158 Focus
159 Fortitude
160 Frankness
161 Freedom
162 Friendliness
163 Frugality
164 Fun
165 Gallantry
166 Generosity
167 Gentility
168 Giving
169 Grace
170 Gratitude
171 Gregariousness
172 Growth
173 Guidance
174 Happiness
175 Harmony
176 Health
177 Heart
178 Helpfulness
179 Heroism
180 Holiness
181 Honesty
182 Honor
183 Hopefulness
184 Hospitality
185 Humility
186 Humor
187 Hygiene
188 Imagination
189 Impact
190 Impartiality
191 Independence
192 Industry
193 Ingenuity
194 Inquisitiveness
195 Insightfulness
196 Inspiration
197 Integrity
198 Intelligence
199 Intensity
200 Intimacy
201 Intrepidness
202 Introversion
203 Intuition
204 Intuitiveness
205 Inventiveness
206 Investing
207 Joy
208 Judiciousness
209 Justice
210 Keenness
211 Kindness
212 Knowledge
213 Leadership
214 Learning
215 Liberation
216 Liberty
217 Liveliness
218 Logic
219 Longevity
220 Love
221 Loyalty
222 Majesty
223 Making a difference
224 Mastery
225 Maturity
226 Meekness
227 Mellowness
228 Meticulousness
229 Mindfulness
230 Modesty
231 Motivation
232 Mysteriousness
233 Neatness
234 Nerve
235 Obedience
236 Open-mindedness
237 Openness
238 Optimism
239 Order
240 Organization
241 Originality
242 Outlandishness
243 Outrageousness
244 Passion
245 Peace
246 Perceptiveness
247 Perfection
248 Perkiness
249 Perseverance
250 Persistence
251 Persuasiveness
252 Philanthropy
253 Piety
254 Playfulness
255 Pleasantness
256 Pleasure
257 Poise
258 Polish
259 Popularity
260 Potency
261 Power
262 Practicality
263 Pragmatism
264 Precision
265 Preparedness
266 Presence
267 Privacy
268 Proactivity
269 Professionalism
270 Prosperity
271 Prudence
272 Punctuality
273 Purity
274 Realism
275 Reason
276 Reasonableness
277 Recognition
278 Recreation
279 Refinement
280 Reflection
281 Relaxation
282 Reliability
283 Religiousness
284 Resilience
285 Resolution
286 Resolve
287 Resourcefulness
288 Respect
289 Rest
290 Restraint
291 Reverence
292 Richness
293 Rigor
294 Sacredness
295 Sacrifice
296 Sagacity
297 Saintliness
298 Sanguinity
299 Satisfaction
300 Security
301 Self-control
302 Selflessness
303 Self-reliance
304 Sensitivity
305 Sensuality
306 Serenity
307 Service
308 Sexuality
309 Sharing
310 Shrewdness
311 Significance
312 Silence
313 Silliness
314 Simplicity
315 Sincerity
316 Skillfulness
317 Solidarity
318 Solitude
319 Soundness
320 Speed
321 Spirit
322 Spirituality
323 Spontaneity
324 Spunk
325 Stability
326 Stealth
327 Stillness
328 Strength
329 Structure
330 Success
331 Support
332 Supremacy
333 Surprise
334 Sympathy
335 Synergy
336 Teamwork
337 Temperance
338 Thankfulness
339 Thoroughness
340 Thoughtfulness
341 Thrift
342 Tidiness
343 Timeliness
344 Traditionalism
345 Tranquility
346 Transcendence
347 Trust
348 Trustworthiness
349 Truth
350 Understanding
351 Unflappability
352 Uniqueness
353 Unity
354 Usefulness
355 Utility
356 Valor
357 Variety
358 Victory
359 Vigor
360 Virtue
361 Vision
362 Vitality
363 Vivacity
364 Warmth
365 Watchfulness
366 Wealth
367 Willfulness
368 Willingness
369 Winning
370 Wisdom
371 Wittiness
372 Wonder
373 Youthfulness
374 Zeal
Use the words you selected to help guide your choices and behavior. You can create value statements around these. Live them, model them, share them and take action based on your values.
We are all working off the limited time and resources we have each day and every minute you use is a minute you will never get back. That’s why:
It’s important to choose what you do wisely; you are the only one who can define wise for yourself.
When you understand your vision, your mission, and your values, then your daily choices will lead you ever closer to your legacy. Invest in yourself now, by giving yourself the gift of consistent direction to keep you on track, more fulfilled and true to your values, and living your vision.
Only then will you fully be offering the world your most powerful personal legacy.
Just like Steve Jobs did. Steve may be gone from this world, but his amazing legacy; a legacy that changed all our lives forever, lives forever. Steve, you will be missed.
What will your legacy be?
Source:
http://zencopy.com/2011/10/12/take-these-3-steps-toward-your-personal-legacy-today/