Are You Legacy Worthy? What Will Your Life’s Ending Chapter Say About You?

We reflect on our deepest values and aspirations when contemplating our lives and wonder, “Am I legacy worthy?” Each day presents an opportunity to craft a legacy-worthy tale—a masterwork of decisions, actions, and relationships that leave a deep imprint on our communities and beyond. Guided by faith and fueled by creativity, innovation, and imagination, we navigate past experiences while shaping the present with an eye toward the future. Excellence and mastery in our Enhavim endeavors, with kindness as our compass, ensure that our interactions contribute to a legacy defined not solely by achievements, but by the enduring impact of our values on the world.

What Will Your Life’s Ending Chapter Say About You? How are you living your life now so it makes a great ending to your life’s story?

Shaping Your Life’s Story can be done at the end of you life as you gather the bits and pieces and write a “memoir” of sorts.  In a way it is like making a casserole of what’s in the fridge because you waited too long and it is an afterthought.  This is different than planning ahead, using premium ingredients today so what you serve up is not a bunch of left overs, but a sumptuous meal fit for a queen or king.  What stories do you want folks to chew on?

Recently a well known author posed a question to a question like this: “How are you living your life now so it makes a great ending to your life’s story?” prompted several interesting replies.  The responses fell into various categories such as:

• Inspirational Insights and Personal Development
• Practical Advice and Philosophical Reflections
• Family Legacy and Personal Stories
• Career Transition, Growth, and Succession Planning
• Wisdom from Historical and Personal Examples
• Community and Global Impact

Here are the actual responses to “How are you living your life now so it makes a great ending to your life’s story?” with the names removed:

• “While it’s great to plan or write the ending to your life’s story, I encourage everyone to start living the legacy today. What are the stories others are saying about you today? Do you like what you hear? Today is the day to change those stories and you’re the only one that can make the shift. Ask for feedback, check with your personal board of directors and make a plan.”
• “I’ve been favoring learn, earn, and return from a business perspective. Some never make the transition and I’m hoping to embrace that last one like Steve Perry belting ‘Open Arms.’ Use the second half of life to bless those who aren’t as far along the path as you.”
• “When my career winds down and I no longer need to work for money, I’m going to serve others with the same skills I acquired over a lifetime. It will be nice to set my own schedule and have greater choice on how to allocate my time. But it won’t stray from my life’s work – my family. I’ll continue to invest time and resources in my children and their children, because they are the legacy I will leave behind.”
• “Each of my so-called pivots (from corporate marketing to non-profit marketing to professor) was originally a serendipitous opportunity but I discerned that they aligned with a sense of purpose and meaning that made sense to me. Looking to keep that in mind when ready for the next chapter, one with positive, altruistic impact. Thankful to my parents who have modeled this.”
• “I asked myself that question and many others about legacy soon after getting details of my cancer diagnosis. Already a 6x international best seller, I realized that I was the family historian of the family. I, now, embark on preserving our family history and passing it down to the next generation. This is with photos, news articles, and recipes.”
• “As a university professor, I work hard to have a positive impact on my students’ lives, and I guess my legacy is in them, and on their shoulders as they journey through their careers and lives. Just like my role as a mother, my goal is to raise my children to not need me, to become independent adults who shine their own light in this world.”
• “I hope I’ve changed a couple of lives in the course of working with someone, answered a call that I didn’t necessarily want to take or shown a kindness or a lesson they won’t forget and inspire the next gen of leaders.”
• “So powerful to consider the legacy you’ll leave and plan for post career years with a strong foundation of family, friends and faith along the way. My husband and I write our goals aligned to our shared values and it’s so interesting how things we are intentional about come to fruition.”
• “I prefer to consider how to keep myself challenged intellectually after retirement and until ‘the end.’ Our minds, to function well and thus enable us to lead productive and enjoyable lives, need to be continually provoked and exposed to new ideas.”
• “Think about your legacy goes hand in hand with ‘know your why’ and is a huge driver for struggling through life. Great reminder to reconnect to this wisdom.”
• “We must all be on the same page today, similar thoughts about an end to an era that began 35+ years ago and how that profoundly changed my life and that of many others. Wise words, I have recently begun the third 3rd of life at 60. This 3rd needs to be on purpose just as you describe…mostly paying it forward to those who are coming behind…the ultimate legacy.”
• “Begin with the end in mind is Aristotle’s TELOS concept.” (see P.S. below)
• “The mark of great leadership is actually what happens after you leave. That is legacy.”
• “Provocative insights caused me to reflect on George Washington who decided after two terms in office and decades of public service not to seek a third term in office. History has judged him well for this wise decision.”
• “I have a dream that when my time comes to step away, I will have a system capable of saving thousands of lives around the world, a tool that might be offered for free. My friends are my lifeline, I am grateful to each.”
• “Today’s message at church was similar, we can be living our present lives with intention for the legacy we will leave behind. What were we known for? How did we use our lifetime to benefit others or contribute to a bigger purpose?”
• “This caused me to ponder Ecclesiastes 3:1 — ‘To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…’. I loved your point about giving back and setting others up for success. The world needs motivation to become and do better.”
• “I am learning to write that ending now. Our greatest gift is our ability to learn and that crystallized memory, when it becomes wisdom, has some very valuable qualities.”
• “I have been blessed to consider friends some of our nation’s global leaders in various disciplines. Although I live in the business world, my heroes are Maya Angelou, Mother Teresa, and my mother in her 90s who runs a boarding house for college girls.”

As as “sager” you can start now to live a legacy worthy life that culminates in a legacy worthy ending.  Instead of your ending, think of your 100th birthday.

Legacy encompasses the lives we touch, the changes we inspire, and the long-term influence of our actions. Our stories, our words, are crucial, especially as artificial intelligence and large language models reshape narratives. By prioritizing meaningful relationship riches, enhavim-driven living, intelligent and compassionate giving, we honor the past, innovate in the present, and plan for a future that sustains our legacy. Let us aspire to living a legacy masterwork continues to inspire and enrich future generations. It up to us now to shape our legacy.

“Live Smart. Give Smart. Leave Your Mark.”

P.S. Aristotle’s concept of telos is central to his philosophy and the term telos means “end,” “purpose,” or “goal.”

1. Philosophical Foundation of Telos

• Definition and Meaning: In Aristotle’s view, telos refers to the inherent purpose or goal of something. It is not just a final outcome but the essential nature that defines an entity. For example, the telos of an acorn is to become an oak tree, and the telos of a knife is to cut effectively.
• Final Cause: In Metaphysics, Aristotle introduces the “four causes” explaining why things exist as they do. Telos is the “final cause” (or causa finalis), representing the ultimate purpose or end of an entity. This contrasts with the material cause (what something is made of), the formal cause (its form or essence), and the efficient cause (the process that brings it about).

2. Implications for Human Actions and Ethics

• Eudaimonia (Flourishing): In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle argues that the ultimate telos for humans is to achieve eudaimonia, often translated as “flourishing” or “happiness.” This involves living virtuously and fulfilling one’s potential. Understanding one’s telos helps in making decisions aligned with this ultimate goal.
• Practical Reasoning: Aristotle highlights the importance of practical reasoning, or phronesis, in achieving one’s telos. By understanding the end goal, individuals can make reasoned decisions and set goals that lead toward this purpose, considering both the desired outcome and the means to achieve it.

3. Application to Actions and Planning

• Goal-Oriented Planning: Aristotle’s concept of telos promotes a goal-oriented approach to planning and action. By defining a clear end goal, individuals and organizations can align their actions and strategies to achieve it. This principle applies to personal development, business strategy, education, and public policy.
• Alignment with Virtue: Aristotle suggests that actions should align with one’s ultimate purpose or telos. To live virtuously, one must act according to reason and pursue goals that contribute to human flourishing.

4. Influence on Later Thought

• Impact on Western Philosophy: Aristotle’s concept of telos has profoundly influenced Western philosophy, shaping discussions about purpose, ethics, and teleology (the study of purposes or ends).
• Means to an End: Napoleon Hill, a key figure in personal development literature, introduced the “chief definite aim” in Think and Grow Rich. This concept refers to a clearly defined goal that serves as the central focus of an individual’s efforts. This goal represents the “end in mind,” guiding all planning and actions. Hill argues that such an objective provides direction and purpose, motivating individuals to persist and overcome obstacles. Concentrating resources and energy on this chief aim aligns actions with the ultimate goal, essential for achieving significant success.
• Modern Applications: Stephen R. Covey’s idea of starting with the end in mind in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People echoes Aristotle’s telos. Both emphasize the importance of defining clear goals and purposes to guide effective action.

Aristotle’s concept of telos highlights the importance of defining an ultimate purpose or end goal when planning and making decisions. This principle underscores that actions and strategies should aim toward achieving a meaningful and fulfilling end, whether in personal, organizational, or philosophical contexts.  See also Enhavim and From Dream to Enhavim For Your Legacy