This week I am an vacation with my family in beautiful Sanibel, Florida. We are renting a lovely house near the beach. Upon arrival I met the current owner of the property who explained to me the house's original owner died six months after the house was completed and therefore some of the personal pictures are still on the walls. As we settled in I had a chance to look around and noticed these pictures. Much to my surprise they are snapshots of the former owner with Bill & Hillary Clinton, the Pope, with Jimmy Carter and several other extremely important figures. Out of curiousity I also googled her and found out that she had been one of the most influencial activists and lobbyist in the political world in the 70's and 80's, a feat not easily accomplished, especially by a woman at that time.
Staying in this house, looking at those pictures has made me think about my own legacy. What mark am I making on the world, on my community, and most importantly, on my family? What do I want to accomplish in my life time? Fortunately, I am already pretty clear about my goals and my purpose because of my own personal branding. My greatest value is, of course, my family. I do make them a priority. When and if I notice that I am getting too involved with other projects or distractions, I refocus my attention back to them. Staying close to this value keeps me feeling grateful, grounded and loved.
One of the other legacies I would like to leave behind is a path for other women to follow showing them how to claim their own powerful voices, to revel in them and to monetize them. I would like to show them how deeply satisfying it is to align your passions and values with your work. When you do, you create a very fuzzy line between work and play. It is such a joyful experience. If I can bring that to more people I will feel like I have given a unique and powerful gift in my lifetime.
Now it's your turn. What do you want to acomplish in your lifetime?