When I think of building a legacy, or leaving a legacy, I think of my mother with her iron will and determination and, I think of Jim Rohn.
My mother influenced my life the most and, if I leave a legacy, I would owe it largely to her. She took parenting seriously. Mom took the rough diamond that I was, polished it, gave it value, and a formula for success recognizing that I would refine the formula along the way. Later in my life, Jim Rohn validated the tools, the ideals that helped create the path I chose and he gave my life’s experience the verbal expression and validation that extended beyond my mother’s simple vocabulary.
Throughout my life I tried to practice what Jim Rohn taught. I just had not become acquainted with him yet.
My parents separated when I was young and my mom, with less than a high school education, stepped into the breach abandoned by my father, sacrificed her health working as a domestic in the early 1950s.
Yet she instilled in my three siblings and me values that would undergird our lives. She nourished our minds with ideas and ambitions that set us apart from our peers. My friends and classmates later revealed to me that mom always found time for them as well – the reason they affectionately and sincerely called her “Mom Kennedy.”
She preached that life can be hard but it is worthwhile. Just as often, mom would say, be independent; don’t rely on someone else to do what you can do for yourself. Believe in yourself; that if you apply yourself, you can accomplish anything.
This was practically a daily mantra for the shy kid that I was. “Your circumstances, ” she would insist, “do not determine your destiny! You do!” Pursue your dreams and never give up on them. Extend yourself, be a quick study, learn by doing. All you need is opportunity to be ready for it! We were her legacy. As adults, she let us know we made her proud.
I became aware of Jim Rohn later in life and the power of simple truths as he spoke them, reminded me of my mother. He had the ability to bring extraordinary insights to ordinary success principles and life experiences. Even after his death, his substance and style continue to capture the imagination of those – myself included – who hear or read his words. That is his legacy.
My mother’s humble origins in rural Woodbury, New Jersey of the late 1920s, are similar to those of Jim Rohn as a farm boy growing up in Idaho in the late 1930s. His one skill, Rohn liked to say, was that he could milk a cow. But his zest for life, his thirst for knowledge, and a desire to share what he learned with the rest of global humanity secures his place in my pantheon of personal heroes. He was just like the rest of us. He chose to be extraordinary, the choice each of us has. What will be your legacy? What choices might you make that benefit the rest of us?
Establishing your legacy may rank low on your list of priorities now but time passes more quickly than you think. Building a legacy is analogous to planting a crop. You harvest what you sow if you hope to harvest a life of honorable deeds, of success, you first have to plant some great seeds: those you teach, inspire, and lead. They are your legacy for greatness.
In a Fall 2010 convocation address to the graduating class of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Arizona, I said “the advice you give, the gifts you share, the encouragement and feedback you offer, the detours you make from your journey on behalf of someone else enshrines you in their hearts forever.” Is this not the essence of a legacy you wish to leave? Material gifts, while generally appreciated and often the subject of intense familial conflict are ephemeral, forgotten, and diminished with the passage of time.
Jim Rohn and my mother sought wisdom from others and they gained wisdom through taking advice, their fair share of risks, and, ultimately surviving the “school of hard knocks.” They learned, as I did, to be persons of action. What about you? My mom stressed learning, being the best, and maintaining a generous heart to others. Jim Rohn would say, “Study, practice, and teach!” That is what it takes to build a legacy. They proved you do not have to be born in extraordinary circumstances to live an exceptional life. You study; practice what you learn; and teach others to do the same.
Think about it and start now. Stop and take stock of where you are in your life’s journey and ask the question, “If today was my last day, what would I want those I leave behind to say about me?” How would I want to be remembered? If you’re not sure where to start, I encourage you to listen to Rohn’s “Living An Exceptional Life Series.” In this series, he recommends taking an inspiring journey destined to expand self-confidence, enrich your attitude, rekindle your motivation and spur you on to success. That is good advice whatever your chosen profession.
