Basket case to Legacy

 Don’t give up! Even Moses was once a basket case.

“Oh good.” I thought to myself. “If Moses didn’t always have it together, and he did great things, then maybe there is hope for me!”

Later that evening I wrote in my journal:

Friday November 7, 2014

I saw a sign earlier today, in front of the Baptist church around the corner, about Moses being a basket case once- I might have a chance.

I want to lead a life that will affect generations, and leave a meaningful heritage behind me. All the time I think about future generations and what I want them to know about me. I write openly in my journal about my struggles and feelings because I want what I am going through to be helpful to my children, and their children, and beyond.

LEGACY! I want to leave a legacy.

My search for knowledge on how to make my life matter began! It wasn’t until quite a few months later I stumbled across PAiLS by Chris Brady. In the blurb, on the inside cover, it reads, “… this delightful little book, provides a fresh approach to finding meaning in your life- before it’s too late! … Providing clear constructs to use in determining direction. … and how even your mistakes should take you higher.”

Perfect! This was exactly what I was looking for.

                                                         ·         I wanted to find meaning.

·         I needed help determining direction.

·         And I was bound to make mistakes.

I was sold!

Now you may be thinking ... What does a pail have to do with building a legacy?! Well don’t you fret because I will tell you.

PAiLS = Potential and Actualization into Legacy and Spillage

For visualization purposes...

Potential: “a present but not visible excellence or ability that may or may not be developed.”

(I stole this definition from The P.I.L.O.T. Method, because I love it! page 18.)

Actualization: “The living out of our potential in the present moment.”

Legacy: “The sum total of all our actualizations. The product of what we do with our lives.”

Spillage: “The lost or wasted potential.”

As Chris Brady says in his book, we “are not done leaving [our] legacy until the last drop of [our] potential has poured from [our] pail.” I was done spilling my potential. I am dedicated to leaving a more meaningful legacy for those who come after me, and thanks to PAiLS I have a much better idea of how to do that!

President Monson said in the April 2012 General Conference, “Life by the yard is hard; inch by inch it’s a cinch. Each of us can be true for just one day- and then one more and then one more after that- until we have lived a lifetime guided by the Spirit, and lifetime close to the Lord, a lifetime of good deeds and righteousness.” In PAiLS, Chris Brady writes, “Our lives are monuments built one second at a time.”

We all have excellence inside of us, all we need to do is develop it- ONE second at a time.

PAiLS ends in a question that I pose to you…

20 years from now what will you wish you had done today?

(You can find the book here)