Your character is the story you tell to an audience of one: you. Your reputation is how others choose to edit your story. Take the time to craft your story with a strong singular voice that can withstand the harshness of envy and pettiness. Listen to understand how the dynamic between character and reputation is central to your legacy design and building.

When you are faced with imperfection in life, do you hide it? Or, do you work with the imperfection and see it as an opportunity to expand possibilities? Kintsugi is the Japanese art form that repairs cracks in pottery with lacquer mixed with precious metals. Imagine applying this art form to your legacy to create something beautiful from something flawed.

Are you seeking happiness, joy, or contentment? This episode defines the differences among the three and makes the case of why joy and contentment are vital to building a lasting legacy.

A portfolio is a collection of documents. It can pertain to your financial investments or your artistic works. The function of a portfolio is to provide clarity regarding the direction and pace of your journey towards a goal. Have you reviewed the contents of your legacy's portfolio to evaluate if your efforts are moving you towards a clear, concise, and consistent message that is the core of your legacy?

Maps provides us with location and orientation. They help us explore and understand around us. They provide a path to progress. Maps deliver a clear message as to what we need to get from here to there. Does your legacy have the clarity of a map? Are others able to journey through your world with the signs, landmarks, and guideposts you have left with your thoughts, words, and deeds?

Rhea Wessel, founder of The Institute for Thought Leadership, provides three steps to find the heart of your story for thought leadership. 1. Listen for the signal. 2. Find the core shift. 3. Frame the tension. These steps can be extended to telling the story of your legacy. I discuss how these three steps provide clarity, incorporate good design principles, and align leadership with storytelling.

AI users are reshaping the entertainment industry. More AI-generated content is associated with less work for humans. The entertainment industry is driven by storytelling. I asked AI to provide me with an outline for an episode of this podcast. I share the AI-generated content and comment on the potential benefits and pitfalls of AI in storytelling and legacy building.

Endeavors are framed by time, cost, and scope. Then, you have to align scope with scale and magnitude. As you design and build your legacy, begin with what you can and cannot do and what you should do. Do not view containment as limiting, but as a means to distill and to streamline. Doing so will ensure a clearer message with greater resonance.