The legacy mindset is being faithful

The Legacy Mindset: How Do You View What You Have?

Family Legacy

The Legacy Mindset: How Do You View What You Have?

by Bill High

Legacy is a mindset. But what “legacy mindset” must you have in order to succeed?

When AJ began his business, he began with little thought to legacy. Mainly, he thought about surviving for the first few years. But eventually he crossed that hurdle, and the business actually reached a point of solid sustainability. He could breathe easier.

Eventually, the momentum shifted, locations increased, employee count grew, and profitability rose. The business was thriving.

But winning is not the point of legacy. Or to put it differently, accumulation is not the goal.

In order to succeed at legacy, we need to undergo a mindset shift from accumulation to faithfulness.

 

Legacy mindset: faithfulness

Faithfulness is the heart of legacy. It is the idea that we’ll be faithful with what we’ve been given. God has entrusted financial resources, but He has also entrusted us with far more valuable things: the people in our lives and our ability do them good.

When faithfulness becomes our core, our possessions become secondary to higher priorities: loving God and loving people.

For many of us, a primary arena of faithfulness will be our own families, investing ourselves to help children and grandchildren thrive. If you have children, God has called you to be faithful to pass on biblical values to them and to their children. No children? You too are to be faithful with the people whom God has put you in a position to serve and bless.

If we make the accumulation of financial resources the goal, then we lose sight of these significant opportunities and responsibilities. Faithfulness keeps us centered on what is valuable in God’s eyes. It helps us remember that we answer to a greater Master than money and stuff.

If you want to get started with your family on exploring and transferring values, a great place to start the conversation is by choosing to give as a family.

 

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com

Share this Post

Bill High

Bill is Executive Chairman & Founder of The Signatry: A Global Christian Foundation. He works with families, individual givers, and financial advisers to share the foundation’s message regarding biblical generosity and family legacy. He is the co-author with David Green of Giving It All Away and Getting It All Back Again: The Way of Living Generously.
If you enjoyed this content and would like to receive updates via email, please subscribe.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Leave a Comment

Published February 15, 2019

Topics: Family Legacy

FaithFamily BusinessFamily LegacyValues

Related Articles

Comments 2

  1. Reading this but it was linked to a previous article about Jeremiah. As a single person, how do you this being applied? The passing on the of values? Recently God had me launch a business. I’m almost seeing it as passing on my values through the business arena. Thoughts?

    Reply
    1. Post
      Author

      Mila, thanks for your comment. Your question prompted me to update this post to better include singles and couples without children, which, as you pointed out, I’ve written about in posts like The Surprising Legacy of Jeremiah the Prophet. Being married or having children is not a condition for legacy, although I have plenty to say to people with children and grandchildren! Passing on values can take place in the business arena, as you say, or in the context of a church, through mentoring relationships, with nephews and nieces–you get the idea. The concept of faithfulness is to love and serve God and others in whatever situation or circumstances you find yourself.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *