While legacy can be a result of investing wisely, it’s not how a lot of people view this phenomenon. I was fascinated recently by how people feel about leaving a legacy and being remembered after they die.
There is one end of the spectrum who want to leave a significant legacy whether that be money, family, values or impact and at the other end those who wish to leave nothing, not wanting to be remembered at all.
I never thought the concept of “legacy” would be so polarizing. So, I researched why and there aren’t many studies to explain it.
The limitations of how legacy is defined and portrayed is probably the biggest contributing factor. There is missing context in how it is talked and written about. Only recently have people begun sharing their thoughts on what legacy means to them on podcasts, YouTube videos, Reddit, comments and surveys. And it isn’t about assets and money.
There are some people who actually fear being forgotten more than they do dying while others have nothing they wish to be remembered by. Some want to live the most meaningful life possible while others want to take what is meaningful with them.
What has been written on legacy is often framed from a financial or estate planning perspective. This is where the other end of the spectrum counters because of their belief they have nothing of value to pass on. Elizabeth Hunter created a different perspective when she conducted a study on the phenomenon of legacy of 38 US women of various ages.
The study defines legacy “as the process of passing one’s self through generations, creating continuity from the past through the present to the future (Hunter & Rowles, 2005). Legacy is passed on to us from the past, developed and refined during our lives; and finally given to the next generation to begin the process all over again.”
This is how legacy intertwines generations of people, not just family members, but friends, communities and cultures. It connects us in ways we often don’t acknowledge or think about.
It begins with your identity, who you are and how history has shaped it. I wrote about international travel and how it seemed many weren’t interested in knowing their ancestors. Yet, none of us would be here without them.
It’s also about living your life with intention, creating purpose and building something in the present. It doesn’t even have to be tangible because often it’s the intangible aspects that are more meaningful. Passing on values, traditions, life experiences, knowledge all translate to wisdom. The majority of what we gift others and leave behind isn’t financial assets or money. It is wisdom.
Since the concept of legacy is perplexing because it’s often intangible, I asked Perplexity AI for ways to create a lasting personal legacy. It gave me, “A lasting personal legacy comes from living your values consistently and investing in people, not just from money or achievements. It is built through repeated, intentional actions that reflect who you are and the impact you want to have on others over time.”
When I was reading through all the well wishes my husband received on his retirement, I noted how often the word legacy was used. He didn’t leave his team and colleagues with financial assets and money. He left them with wisdom.
(Trust & Will’s 2025 Estate Planning Report illustrating the need to educate that legacy is far more than just money and assets.)
For those who wonder why they would have any moral responsibility to leave anything for future generations, framing it another way puts it into perspective. All of us have benefited from something passed onto us, things we may not realize and take for granted.
It’s the kindness from others who help you, the values and traditions shared with you, the lessons gained of lived experience so you can avoid and overcome future obstacles, the knowledge, resources and conveniences accessible through the innovation and progress already implemented.
If no one passed anything on after they died, many forms of knowledge, culture and material support would disappear instead of accumulating across generations. Society would keep “resetting,” making life harder and less stable for the people who come after. It’s the compounding effect that propels everything forward.
Even if you receive a negative legacy, you have the opportunity to transform it into something positive and pass that on instead. And for those who believe they have nothing to pass on or be remembered by, you can pass something on as simple as planting a tree for future generations.
My husband and I planted a row of Weeping Willow trees at our first house in Virginia. We lined the perimeter of our California house with fruit trees. At our current house we planted a George Washington Yellow Buckeye grown from seeds from a Buckeye tree at Mt. Vernon, including a Certificate of Authenticity acknowledging our contribution to preserving George Washington’s legacy. My husband also started and planted a tree from the helicopter pods of the tree where he grew up that cost nothing but his time.
Our legacy is what our thoughts and actions make it. Inspired by Marcus Aurelius, “Our life is what our thoughts make it.”
Trust & Will’s 2025 Estate Planning Report: Defining Legacy