My lifetime legacy mission (LLM) is to educate, equip, & empower 100 million entrepreneurs & leaders worldwide to reach their greatest personal & organizational potential.
In my last two speaking engagements, I watched the audience’s reactions as the conference coordinator read my bio aloud. People were taken aback. They raised their eyebrows and smiled in surprise.
During my remarks, I put my lifetime legacy mission into perspective:
- There are approximately 400 million entrepreneurs in the world, so my goal only reflects 25% of that population.
- I’m only 48, so I estimate I have another 40 years ahead of me to make my impact.
- There are so many ways to reach people globally today. Between my writing, speaking, online products (in development), merchandising line (in development), and consulting, I should be able to touch a lot of people.
- Even if I achieve only 50% of my goal, I’m still impacting 50 million people, which isn’t so shabby.
Here is what I know for sure: If I don’t envision it, and put it out there, it will never happen.
- Elon Musk (Founder of PayPal, SpaceX, and Tesla)
- Jeff Bezos (CEO of Amazon)
- Mark Zuckerberg (Founder of Facebook)
- Steve Case & Ted Leonsis (Founders of AOL)
These are just a few audacious thinkers who have committed to changing the world.
Why shouldn’t you think big? Because someone else may find your idea to be grandiose? Because you sound unrealistic? Are those really reasons to limit our thinking?
“Thinking realistically is the quickest path to mediocrity.” ~Will Smith
I can’t remember the exact day when I committed to my LLM, but I do know this: everything changed the day I committed.
When I start to get tired, I remind myself of why the little things matter. When I doubt myself, or question why I am doing what I am doing, I reach back to my LLM, and the possibility of helping so many others live up to their potential.
You can set an LLM too, and here is how you do it.
- Think about what fuels you. What creates a fire inside of you? When an opportunity presents itself, or when you have achieved a specific result, how does that impact you emotionally, physically, and spiritually?
- Think about your success without limits. If you had absolutely no constraints (money, time, resources, energy), what would success look like for you? Think BIG. Think audaciously.
- Craft your LLM using this format:
My lifetime legacy mission is to:
1: Insert Verb
2: Follow that with the number of people you want to impact
3: Follow that with the target population you will impact
4: Follow that with how you will impact them
Your LLM should be connected to what you are doing every day. If it’s not, you need to re-evaluate what you are doing every day, and how you are spending your valuable time.
As a Melanoma survivor, I have a very healthy respect for mortality. Our lives pass by in the blink of an eye. Every day you should LOVE what you are doing. If you don’t, what is holding you back?
Your LLM begins with the mindset that you are capable and worthy of living a life that delivers joy, fulfillment, and impact to yourself and everyone you touch.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~Marianne Williamson
Your LLM is inside of your heart & spirit right now. “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world.”
My hope is that as I let my own light shine, I am unconsciously giving you permission to do the same. As I am liberated from my own fears of failure, loss, and disappointment, my hope is that my presence automatically liberates you.
Today, commit to developing your LLM. I would love to hear your mission. Please email me your LLM at [email protected] and indicate if I have permission to share.
The world needs your light!
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About Successful Culture
We work with business owners, CEOs, and leadership teams that want to achieve their greatest personal & organizational potential. Through coaching, strategic consulting, retreat facilitation, and workshops, we equip leaders & emerging leaders with the mindset, tools, strategies, and processes they need to excel.
Ready to move forward? Email us today at [email protected].
Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Engage with me during my morning Periscope sessions as well (@marissalevin).
Please check out my Inc. Magazine columns on my Author Page too.
~Marissa Levin
CEO, Successful Culture
“Taking Leaders from Triage to Transformation.”
