In a previous post, I did a quick peak at 3 Concepts that impact your life legacy.
Friendship – Association – Relationship
Today we are going to go a little deeper on the concept of Association. But before we do that, let me share these 3 foundational concepts about Life legacy. Note we are talking about life legacy, rather than professional or genealogical legacy.
1) We are all created by God for a defined, specific purpose or life legacy:
Proverbs 19:21 says – Many plans are in a man’s mind, but it is the Lord’s purpose for him that will stand.
2) We all will leave a life legacy. If we do nothing about our life legacy, or if we invest into, we all will leave a legacy that goes on after we end this natural life.
3) We all will impact not only our own legacy but the legacy of others.
So knowing that we are creating our life legacy every day, let’s look at Association, one of the three concepts that greatly impact our life legacy. We are starting here for understanding because both Friendship and Relationship utilize the concept of Association.
We are starting this series of 3 concepts that are legacy impacting because both Friendships and Relationships utilize the concept of Association.
Association can be a momentary interaction or a lifetime state of interaction.  Who we associate with will impact our life and legacy more than we think. Associations are people, places or things that we share space, thought, resources with for a specific purpose or through a joined interest of heart or passion. Associations sprout up in our daily life; such as the grocery store, dry cleaners, dentist and doctor’s office.
Association is the easiest to overlook, and yet has the greatest potential for impact because it comes with little risk, great flexibility, and minimal investment. But do not overlook that some associations have great longevity and in that the impact on your legacy can be substantial.
Your family doctor is in association with you – you may only see him a few times a year – yet what he speaks to you has weight
Your neighbors close or blocks away are in association with you – you may never have a full conversation with them – you wave as you pass each other – yet when they redo their landscaping or repaint their home – their actions cause a reaction within you
Your children’s teachers are in association with you – you go to yearly meetings and maybe speak kindly at school functions – yet let them call and want to meet with you to discuss your child – their words have weight and can invoke action on your part
The most obvious are your coworkers on your job or in your business, yet very rarely do these individuals remain profitable as associates, maybe a few, but due to the danger zone of familiarity and “peer pressure” we can lose the benefit on our legacy of “workplace” associations.
Take a minute and look at your life, who or what do you sporadically or rarely interact with, but when you do, they cause a thought process.  These fruitful interactions can cause many responses, here are a three.
1) Change of personal behavior; be it your health, the way to raise your children, or the way you do your occupation. Example: Doctors counsel on your current or future health.
2) Confirmation that what you are doing, thinking, owning or desiring is normal and acceptable. Example: Teaching praising you on your child’s positive impact on their classmates.
3) Compassion for those in need or pain. Example: Hearing the heartbreak in your neighbor’s voice as they explain why his wife is no longer living there.
Our response to the powerful times of association will impact our life legacy. Our legacy is the greatest thing we will create. It does not matter how many companies we start, how much money we make and spend, or how many children we bring into this world. Our life legacy is truly what will be remembered.
It is my desire to inspire you today to reflect on your life legacy tapestry and take full advantage of your times of association to create your best life legacy.
Leave a comment below and tells us how the Association in your life is shaping your life legacy.