It’s that time again — when we look back over the last 12 months and make plans for the coming year. “This is the year I’ll lose those 10 extra pounds (plus the 5 I put on over the holidays),” you may think, or “2018 is gonna be the year I finally pay off my credit cards and ramp up my retirement savings!”
About half of Americans will create at least one New Year’s resolution for the coming year. Unfortunately, about 80% of those resolutions will fail by the second week of February.
This year, try writing up something different — and more meaningful — than the typical New Year’s resolution that will be a distant memory by March. Draw up your own Personal Legacy Statement. It’s like an estate plan, but instead of focusing on finances, it focuses on what kind of life you want to lead.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Have You Thought About Your Legacy?
Every hour, every day and every year, you make small decisions that lead you toward becoming a certain kind of person. Many of these “decisions” are made on autopilot as a result of habits you’ve picked up: You instinctively reach for a cup of coffee in the morning, you check your phone whenever it dings, you tense up when your spouse uses that certain tone of voice.
These habits create the behavorial trend of your life. But what are they leading you toward?
In his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey writes about beginning with the end in mind. If you don’t know your destination, it’s likely you’ll end up going in circles.
One of the best ways I’ve found to create an anchor or point of destination for your life is to create a Personal Legacy Statement.
A Personal Legacy Statement goes beyond losing weight or saving a few extra bucks for the future. It is a declaration of the kind of person you hope to become, the values you wish to live by and how you will impact others. It provides a vision that directs those tiny decisions that make up who you are.
If, for example, you specify in your Personal Legacy Statement that you would like to be a good parent, you may start changing some things in your day-to-day life, like putting down the cellphone at dinner or reading to your daughter before bed rather than binging on the latest Netflix series.
These small acts make a tremendous impact and lead to a legacy you can be proud of. Without this kind of direction, it’s easy to let entropy take over and just go with the flow — leading you to leave a legacy of, well, not much.
Three Steps to Writing a Personal Legacy Statement
A Personal Legacy Statement takes introspection. Spend some time journaling about the questions below and then craft a concise — no more than one page — statement that encompasses the attributes of the kind of person you hope to be known as.
1. Identify your roles.
Determine how you wish to represent yourself in the following five roles:
- Family Role — How do you wish to connect with and love those in your family?
- Social Role — How do you want to interact with friends and acquaintances?
- Career Role — How do you want to impact others through your work? How do you find passion and enjoyment in your work?
- Community Role — How will you contribute to your local community? Do you have a passion for helping a certain group of people or furthering a cause?
- Spiritual Role — How will you nourish your spirit or need for creativity, connection, rest and balance? How will you grow yourself and care for your body and well-being?
2. Define your principles.
Think about what values and morals will help you fulfill your various roles. Consider these questions as you’re writing down the values that matter to you:
- What principles are important to follow to fulfill the roles you’ve outlined for yourself?
- Which character attributes are most important to you?
- Are there personal weaknesses or struggles that will make it hard for you to fulfill your legacy if you don’t address them?
3. Specify how you wish to share your legacy.
Memories fade quickly; what gets remembered is what is recorded and shared. Consider these questions when thinking about how you wish to share your legacy:
- How will you record and document meaningful experiences?
- How will you let others know how much they mean to you?
- How will you mentor others or pass on your wisdom or skills?
To view some examples of Personal Legacy Statements, visit www.paragonroad.com/personal-legacy-statement-examples/.
A good Personal Legacy Statement can serve as the vision for your path forward for 2018 and beyond.
-
Why Digitizing Your Tax Records Can Simplify Your Filing in 2025Tax Records If you can, switching from paper to e-filing your taxes can have many benefits.
-
What Stock Pros Expect to See in 2025The jury's out on the 2025 stocks forecast: will investors enjoy higher interest rates that dampen the market, or another year of double-digit returns?
-
How to Avoid These 10 Retirement Planning MistakesMany retirement planning mistakes are easily avoidable. Here are 10 to have on your radar so you don't end up running out of money in your golden years.
-
Before the Next Time Markets Sink, Do Your Lifeboat DrillsAn eventual market crash is inevitable. We can't predict when, but preparing for the ups and downs of investing is imperative. Here's what to do.
-
This Late-in-Life Roth Conversion Opportunity Spares Your HeirsExpensive medical care in the later stages of life is an unpleasant reality for many, but it can open a window for a Roth conversion that benefits your heirs.
-
Women, What Is Your Net Worth?Many women have no idea what their net worth is, or even how to calculate it. Many also turn to social media finfluencers for advice. Here's what to do instead.
-
Converting Retirement Savings to a Roth IRA? Don't Do ThisYou might want to convert all of your savings to a Roth in one go, but you could end up paying hundreds of thousands more in taxes than you have to.
-
What Is Your 'Enough Is Enough' Number for Retirement?Chasing a 'magic number' for retirement can be anxiety-inducing. Instead, build your plans around a personal number that reflects your individual circumstances.
-
California Wildfires and Insurance: Looking for HelpLos Angeles-based insurance expert Karl Susman shares the view from his agency’s office as all hands are on deck to help their policyholders.
-
Asset Protection for Affluent Retirees in 2025Putting together a team of advisers to assist with insurance, taxes and other financial issues can help with security, growth and peace of mind.
