How does what you do for work, make a difference in the world? I know very few business owners who have not pondered the answer to that question! All of the hard work, planning, competition, and frustration (the list goes on and on) has got to be for something. So- have you considered what LEGACY you will leave with your business and your life’s work? This month, we are taking a look at how we can make a long-term difference in the world by being intentional about the Legacy we leave with our business. We have created the following acrostic to give you something to think about when it comes to leaving your personal or professional LEGACY.

 

LOVE – Legacies begin with LOVE– something you love, to be more specific! When you have a passion for a cause and you simply must see positive and forward action taken- you have found something that you can build your legacy around. At TMC, our PASSION is PEOPLE. We love the people we work with and the people we work for. Providing integrity-based solutions that help people reduce frustration (a tool that helps our staff handle their tasks more efficiently or a processing tool that simplifies the payment process, for example), increase their bottom line, and enhance their passion for their lives is something we get excited about!

 

EXPECTATIONS– Legacies are created when people expect more than has been expected before. Higher expectations are the foundation for any new solution or elevated level of service! When we expect more from ourselves and our team, we naturally deliver more, and MORE is how legacies are created!

 

GOALS– Legacies aren’t left by accident! They usually take shape when someone has laid out Specific, Measurable, Achievable, and Realistic goals that are completed within a specific Time frame (SMART goals). In the absence of clearly defined goals, good things can happen however Legacies take a more directed approach; a more intentional and goal-driven agenda.

 

ACTION– Behind every Legacy is a ‘whole lotta action! Legacies tend to take hard work and they tend to take a TON of people who want to take the necessary actions with you! Alone, we can do some good things but together, with a TON of specific action, we can leave a legacy and make our mark on the world.

 

COURAGE– Leaving a lasting legacy takes courage! It is EASY not to do the things it takes to leave a lasting legacy. Let’s face it, life is crazy busy and it is hard to find the time to add ‘legacy building’ to the to-do list. Finding the courage (and the TIME) to leave the world a better place than you found it will take everything you’ve got and that’s why legacies are so powerful!

 

YOU!– If you look long enough and hard enough, you will always find one person behind a legacy- YOU! Surprised? No one can leave your legacy for you- it has to be crafted by you. You came to this planet wired with something unique- there will never be another person like you so it makes sense that your Legacy will either be shared or it will die with you.

 

That’s right YOU can leave a legacy with your business by finding a cause you Love, setting and keeping high Expectations, setting Goals, taking lots of Action, leading with Courage, and making sure You find out what your legacy is in the first place! Making a difference in the world takes leaders who have the courage to find challenges and then go about the business of fixing them.

 

HAVE FUN finding, crafting, and Leaving YOUR Legacy.