How To Create A Positive Life Legacy

How To Create A Positive Life Legacy – Before You Die

I’m going to break with accepted social norms here and talk about death and the legacy you leave behind when that fateful day arrives.

The reason I’m doing this is because I personally experienced the pain and tragedy that occurs when a loved one passes away and leaves an estate in disarray. It taught me invaluable lessons worth sharing about all the things you DON’T want to leave behind when you die…

Multiple contradicting wills
Trusts unfunded
Designated beneficiaries inconsistent with written intentions
Improper medical directives
Delinquent taxes and un-filed returns
Garage and storage locker full of useless junk that must be cleared.
Unresolved family relationship wounds
All this and many more bad things from a good, intelligent, educated, and well-intentioned man who never expected his life to cause so much pain…

In this new feature article I share the essential lessons a close family member never intended to teach me about what happens to your loved ones when you leave a messy estate behind. In this article you will learn how to live today so that you can leave a positive legacy tomorrow.

I know this is not a compelling subject for most people, but if you care about your loved ones and the legacy you leave behind then you might want to spend a few minutes learning from the experience I share in this new feature article. It was a real eye opener for me, and I’m guessing it will be for you as well.

In a nutshell, the main lesson I learned is there is no better time than the present to put my life in order. Some day I will die with 100% certainty and everything will be passed on to my loved ones – the good, the bad and the ugly. Whatever I don’t take care of now will become their burden just like how this family member left me all the problems in their life that they didn’t get around to solving. It was a horrible experience nobody should want to repeat, and it was an experience this person never intended to do. It all happened unexpectedly… as these things often do. The same could happen to you…

The truth is there will never be a convenient time to put your affairs in order. You can procrastinate with impunity until one day it is too late and your legacy is cast in stone. Recognize that your life today is creating a legacy for tomorrow and live accordingly because one day it will be too late. Believe me, I know first-hand.

Learn from my family’s mistakes – please – and don’t repeat them.

I hope this new article helps bring perspective to this unpleasant but essential retirement planning issue.

Let me know your thoughts about this new article in the comments section below…

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Matt

You did a great job with this post and answered all my questions in your article. Glad I can now have a clearer plan for my life and the image I want to leave behind.

Cheers,

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Todd Tresidder

@Matt - Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.

Kendrick Chua

Hi Todd,

I really love your site. I'm also a financial professional here in the Philippines and your articles are really refreshing and enlightening. They are very useful when I'm explaining the concepts to my clients.

Thank You!

@Kendrick - Thank you for the feedback. You brought a smile to my morning. Much appreciated.

Mike Korner

Many (most) people tend to worry about life instead of death. I think looking at this from the perspective of loved ones helps put the tasks in the proper perspective. Thank you for the good reminders Todd.

@Mike - You're welcome, and thanks for the feedback. Yes, I find the perspective of death as the ultimate "deadline" to be very instructive in how to live life. I frequently use an exercise called the "deathbed exercise" in my own life and with coaching clients when confronted with major/important decisions that is remarkably instructive and provides perspectives that no other approach provides. My personal experience tells me that we spend most of our days blind to the gift of life and completely ignorant of the ultimate reality that this gift is temporary and will end far sooner than we imagine - me included.