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A Legacy Worth Living

“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
-Maya Angelou 

The kind of legacy you leave will only reflect the kind of life you lived. Seems obvious, but the irony of our tendency to romanticize the legacy of those who live exceptional public lives is that we do it with heightened conviction after they have passed on from this present world. Death has a way of turning even the most stone-hearted individuals down a path of reflection and nostalgia.

The recent passing of Maya Angelou sent me down this path. Just months ago, it was the death of Nelson Mandela. These events left me wondering if the life I live, while I still have the blessing of breath, will cause others to challenge complacency after my inevitable departure from this earth. Through much reflection, I have come to the conclusion that, as things stand, the answer is no.

In my brief studies of their personal lives, I have come to the belief that those who leave a legacy are not motivated by the possibility of posthumous recognition, but by a deep sense of commitment to the current state of affairs. In other words, they are either just focused on survival in the now, or thriving in their season of abundance. Mandela had prison then presidency. Angelou had a season of muteness as a result of personal tragedy, before her voice made her an icon. Perhaps because the legacy is merely an afterthought, the life they lived with conviction and courage naturally only led to the legacy.

So while legacies are celebrated after a person has left the earth, they can only be created while living. The challenge for you and I, while we still have breath, is to live a life that leaves a legacy, while not living for the legacy.

Interested in writing for our Guest Blogger series? Email Nicole@perkconsulting.net
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Andrena Sawyer is the President and CEO of P.E.R.K. Consulting. In addition to her work with nonprofits and start-ups, she leads workshops on personal and professional development for women across the country. Much of her content can be found in her eBook, The Misadventures of a New Entrepreneur. Follow her on twitter @Perk_Consulting