Imagine this:
Christopher grows up in a household where money isn’t talked about much. His parents still have student loan debt, make monthly payments on their family car, and use credit cards like they’re free money. When Christopher hits high school, he’s required to take a finance course. Thankfully, a local business owner decided to help the school pay for a curriculum called Foundations in Personal Finance, where Christopher learns all about how to handle money the right way.
He’s equipped with tools like budgeting, saving, avoiding debt, and building wealth. He puts these practices into action, and over the years, he changes his own family tree. He paid cash for his first car, and he paid his way through college without student loans. He saved up for his wedding, paid off his mortgage quickly, and put away money to retire comfortably. He leaves an inheritance for his family and a legacy in his community. Eventually, Christopher becomes outrageously generous and pours back into his local school by sponsoring personal finance curriculum for those high school students.
Now imagine if you were the person who sponsored the Foundations curriculum at Christopher’s high school. Without your contribution, his life and the life of his family might look drastically different. That should give you complete confidence that your life and legacy impacted others for generations to come.
What Is a Legacy?
Think of your legacy as a ripple effect in your community. Your life is a pebble (or a rock, or a boulder—you decide!) that gets thrown into the waters of life. Your legacy is the ripple that continues long after the rock has disappeared. And the coolest part is that you get to decide how far those waves will travel.
Take Martin Luther King Jr., for example. He didn’t have wealth or power, but he had a vision and a voice. He wanted to make life better for future generations, so he spent his days challenging the status quo and working to end racism and discrimination. His speeches, writings and peaceful protests created a ripple effect that continues the fight for equality today.
Leaving a Lasting Legacy
While you may look to figures like MLK for inspiration, you don’t have to change the world in order to create a lasting legacy. Maybe you’re helping others with your business or raising your children to be kind and generous. By leaving behind opportunities, personal values or financial resources for others, you’ll be remembered for more than what your resumé said about you.
Odds are, you want your life to benefit others. So start thinking about how you want to leave a mark on your local community. What neighborhood projects are you passionate about? Where is there a need in your community? Find the local you-shaped hole and lean into it.
The Payoff of Living a Generous Life
The possibilities for creating your legacy are endless, and you have an opportunity to live for a purpose that’s bigger than yourself. You can decide to use everything you have on Earth—wealth, resources, talent and relationships—to bless those around you even after you’re gone. Your life can make waves for generations to come!
One simple way to leave a legacy is to sponsor the Foundations in Personal Finance curriculum in schools. Foundations has impacted the lives of over 5 million students and has been taught in over 45% of high schools, but many schools still don’t have funding to provide it for their students. That’s where you come in! As a sponsor, you have the opportunity to bring more than just curriculum to students—you’ll bring them hope.
Are you a teacher? Help your students win with money today!
If you’re interested in leaving a legacy by sponsoring a school, click here to learn more about how you and Foundations in Personal Finance can change the lives of students in your community!
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Ramsey Solutions