“Stay in the moment.” We hear this statement often, and it’s good advice. It grounds us and helps us make the very best of the “now.” On the other hand, there are great riches to be found in the past and the future, specifically as to how they relate to our legacies.
I recently read a blog post discounting the significance of legacies, because it takes our focus away from the present moment. Although I’m all for the staying in the present, I also believe it’s important to look back on the past, learn from it and move forward to create something even better for the future. This is what constitutes legacy—a valuable concept, which I teach in many of my classes.
Legacies are passed on through individuals. Everyone has the opportunity to take advantage of others’ legacies, the opportunity to create their own and the responsibility to uphold them. In this way, we’re able to align with something greater than ourselves, embody it and pass it on to those who follow us. They also enhance our day-to-day encounters—both in our professional and personal lives. I think Conrad Hilton, Bill Marriot and Henry Ford would agree.