As CEOs and executive leaders, you've spent a lifetime building empires, breaking barriers, and setting benchmarks. Your relentless drive has propelled companies forward, creating jobs, fueling economies, and inspiring generations. Yet, as the sun sets on your professional journey, it's time to reflect on the personal legacy you will leave behind.
A study found that 60% of wealthy investors regret not spending more time with their loved ones1. The regrets of the dying often echo this sentiment - a longing for deeper connections over material acquisitions. As you stand on the precipice of retirement, it's an opportune time to mend the bridges that may have been burned along the way.
Retirement is a new beginning - a chance to rekindle relationships, create lasting memories, and leave a legacy that transcends material wealth. It's time to consider what stories you'll leave behind, what wisdom you'll impart, and how future generations will remember you.
One of the most significant responses I typically hear to this idea is that it's too late, that the bridge is burned. Well, ask anyone who has come back from the brink of something hard and they will tell you that it is never to late for acknowledgement, apologies and the vulnerable ask to try again.
Sounds hard and vulnerable doesn't it? It is hard work but you are no stranger to hard work. And there are reasons why this is hard. This is a different kind of hard work and that is where the new beginning comes in.
It's never too late to foster deeper relationships, express love and gratitude, and share stories and wisdom. Your retirement could be just the reset you need to cultivate the bonds you've missed and mend the relationships you regret.
It's time to consider your legacy beyond the boardroom. After all, the most enduring legacy is not built with bricks and mortar but with love, understanding, and shared memories.
Footnotes
https://www.fa-mag.com/news/most-wealthy-investors-have-regrets--survey-says-55918.html ↩
https://www.plannedgiving.com/legacy-box/wills-and-estate-planning-statistics/ ↩
https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/estate-planning-statistics ↩
https://time.com/3924371/how-to-keep-the-family-money-from-slipping-away/ ↩