What Are You Passing On?

I meet with so many people towards the end years of their life and hear some disturbing “last wishes.” It’s almost like they want to die empty with no more responsibilities. When you do not have responsibilities, you often run out or have no passion for anything. Here are some of the things I hear people say:

 I want to die with my last check bouncing.

 I want to retire and do nothing.

 I want to eat whatever I want when I want. 

 Here are 10 things I think are great to pass on. I know there are many more. Feel free to list your own in the comment section. We all need help and advice on what will make ours and future generations better.  

 What if we passed on the following?

1.      Great work ethic.

2.      Living a healthy lifestyle.

3.      Teaching how to handle healthy conflict resolution.

4.      Living life with others in mind while loving yourself in the process.

5.      Living a life of generosity, with time and money.

6.      Living a life full of passion! 

7.      How to love your spouse unconditionally and have lasting marriages.

8.      Raising successful children and teaching them how to chase, catch, and live out their dreams. Raising giant-killers and conquerors, not afraid to take on challenges.

9.      Living a life of wealth and not poverty. (Neither have anything to do with money) 

10.  Taking responsibility for the next generation instead of just complaining about them.

 I am not pointing fingers. These are things I constantly ask myself to stay focused and driven towards the goal. 

 We often think we’re only responsible for our actions. 

I believe we’re responsible for others’ actions if we leave them where they are and don’t call them higher. If we choose NOT to mentor, not to be a positive influence, not to speak into them, and not love them from where they could be in the future, then we’re held accountable if we’ve been called into their lives.

 If we do choose to mentor them and they still choose to rebel, then that is now on them.

We’re responsible for what we have done or not done, not what they do or have done.