What is a Personal Legacy, and How Can I Build One?

It’s kind of strange to think about it, but wouldn’t it be cool if your life achievements lived on? We’re talking about your personal legacy here, which refers to what you’ll leave behind after you die. It all comes down to how people perceive you, and how you will be remembered long after you’re gone.

Here are our top tips for building a personal legacy you’ll be proud of.

Volunteer for nonprofits

One of the most selfless things you can do is volunteer your time and effort to a nonprofit organisation. Nonprofit organisations are almost always in need of an extra set of hands, or someone with a particular level of expertise. For example, if you’re a lawyer, you could do some pro bono work, or if you’re a writer, you could help out with external communications or marketing, at no charge. Don’t have any special skills, or looking to move away from your primary vocation? Why not try something new?

Not sure where to start? 

Think about your hobbies and causes you are passionate about:

If you love animals, you might want to lend a hand at an animal shelter or conservation society. 

Want to help the environment? There are plenty of nonprofits that dedicate time and funds to protect the Earth. 

Or, if you’d like to work with people, there are plenty of organisations that you could look into. 

The list goes on and on.

*Now would be a good time to whack your hobbies – followed by ‘volunteering’ – into that search engine of yours*

Donate to charity during your lifetime, and after

Did you know that writing your Will is one of the easiest ways to help others and shape your personal legacy? Yep! If you’d like to leave a charitable donation or a bequest to an organisation/s that you feel passionate about, then read our detailed guide here.

(Read more about how you can donate by partnering with us here).

You don’t need to wait ‘til after death to donate, though. It goes without saying that donating even a small part of your income while you’re alive and kicking speaks volumes. Every dollar truly makes a difference. 

Donate blood and plasma, if you can

By donating blood and/or plasma, you’re giving people the gift of life, which is truly amazing. (Plus, we hear the sandwiches and biscuits are pretty damn great!)

Of course, not everyone is eligible to donate blood or plasma, so only do so if it’s safe for you and if you’ve been approved to donate.

While you’re at it, now could also be a good time to sign up for organ donation.

Share your time with others, and your expertise

When you help people out when they’re just getting started (for example, a friend who’s starting a business or who has just had their first child), they’ll never forget it. By sharing your time and expertise with others, and helping them learn new skills, you will always be remembered by those people (and others) as true saviours when they really needed someone to lean on or learn from. That’s something worth striving towards, we reckon.

As Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Wrap up

Of course, the best incentive for doing good in the world is the feeling you get when you know you’re making a difference. We humans typically don’t do all of these things (volunteering, sharing our time, etc) just to be remembered, we often do it to help others, because we remember the people who threw us a lifeline when we needed it most.

Building your legacy isn’t a difficult task. In fact, we’re sure you’ve already made your mark in numerous ways, without even knowing it. But if you’re looking for a way to build a brighter and a memorable legacy, then go forth and build, people! Build!

Looking for some expert advice on building your very own personal legacy? 

We can help you set the wheels of your personal legacy in motion. 

Get in touch with us today.