legacy

Adam Smith | January 27, 2016 | 1 Comment

What Do You Want People to Say About You at Your Funeral?

One day, a mentor of mine asked me, “Adam, what do you want people to say about you at your funeral?” The question took me by surprise. He wasn’t usually so morbid, and I wasn’t planning on dying anytime soon, so where was this question coming from? But as I pondered it for a second, I realized there was more to this question. He then followed with, “What you do right now directly affects their remarks… So, what are a few one word responses that immediately come to mind?”

That made it easier. So, I started rattling off whatever came to mind, and ended up with these five words:

Adam Smith | October 14, 2014 | 1 Comment

#039: Build A Better Legacy

What do you want to be known for?

That’s the question you need to answer right now.

Why is this one question so important to not only think about, but answer?

This is because what you do right now is what helps create your legacy. Yes, you can make up for mistakes later, but it is much easier for you to create a legacy rather than to repair it. Start working today towards putting your best into your future. This is what will build your lasting legacy.

Here are three ways you can build a better legacy for your life:

1. Decide once and for all what you want to do with your life.
You make the greatest impact when you are clear on where you are headed. Wandering in life wastes time, makes you unhappy and makes you less effective. When you know what you are doing and understand the importance of this, the straight and best way to success becomes your best and only option. No, there aren’t any shortcuts to success, but know that making a plan will help get you to your goals faster.

2. Decide that what you do really does matter.

While this may seem common knowledge, the world around us would tell me it’s not. People’s actions would tell me that what they are missing is motivation from knowing the importance of what they are doing with their lives. When you are able to see the importance of what you do, the realization alone will propel you forward. You matter and what you do matters. And within making this important decision to think about your life differently, begin doing what is right if you aren’t already. Don’t fall for short-term gain and satisfaction, while sacrificing long-term legacy. Again, do what matters and do what is right.

3. Reach outside of yourself in every single circumstance that you can.

People matter. This being said, you create a bigger legacy when you realize that life is bigger than just yourself. Go and do something for others. Stop only looking out for yourself, and begin thinking about the benefits of others. It is always other people that will receive what you are pouring out with your life, so you might as well produce good fruits with your life. People either benefit from you or suffer. It is a choice of what you do with your life, so touch the lives of others in a positive way as much as you can.

Life is just better this way. Do these three things, and build a better legacy starting, today.

Daniel Kosmala | November 30, 2013 | 2 Comments

What Are You Leaving Behind?

Using Focus to Improve Your Life (Part 3 of 3)

The last two weeks I have been leading you down a path. I hope that you have been following along, because today is where it all ties together and I will make a pitch on why all of these things are so important.

The key to all of this is that you are essentially creating a personal brand.

Wikipedia defines brand as “the name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s product distinctly from those of other sellers.” Take out the business jargon and instead make it personal. All of us, every single one of us has a personal brand. When others conjure up their mental image of us in their minds they immediately have a gut reaction. A feeling that directly relates to their perception of us. Most people feel like they do not have much to say in how others perceive them, but I would disagree. We are always projecting a personal brand. People are gathering impressions of us during every moment time is spent together. But, most of us squander this opportunity.

What if I told you that everything that I have covered in the last two weeks is an incredible way to build your personal brand?

That by taking control of your life and choosing to learn specific things, doing those things, and eventually teaching those things to others, you are building a lasting impression with them. You are either negatively impacting the perception others have of you or you are making a positive impact. One thing you cannot do, is stay the same. So, which will it be? It is a relatively simple concept. Everything you choose to learn turns into you doing things and teaching others about it. Public speaking makes a huge impact on your personal brand. Learning and employing new leadership skills makes a huge impact on your brand. Learning to write makes an enormous impact on how others perceive you! These things completely change the game.

The difference is made when you decide to take hold of this knowledge and utilize it. If you focus on narrowing down what you want to learn, do, or teach, you can then change your life. Most of us are just content with sitting around and letting things happen. Not changing the flow. Accepting things as they are. That is exactly how you become insignificant. It is the perfect formula for leaving this earth without building a legacy that will impact lives for generations to come. We all have the potential inside us to make a difference in the lives of others. It could be as few as one other person or it could be millions. For me, if I can positively impact or change the life of even one more person before I am done, then all of this hard work is worth the effort.

Create your personal brand. Focus on what it is you want to leave behind to impact others and let that guide you in deciding what you learn, what you do, what you teach, and what you become. You make this happen. Here and now. Not later. Not in 2 months, 6 months, or a year.

It starts now.

What are you leaving behind?