Think day on legacy, impact and visibility

It has been getting harder for me to carve out the time for my think days, so a few of these have taken place while my kid was at one of her activities and I went for the duration to a cafe for a coffee and some General Pondering.

Recently, I took a moment to do some memento mori style thinking. I used ChatGPT to help me design a 1.5 hour session to think about legacy, career impact, and visibility. Here’s what we converged on:

Here’s a structured 1.5-hour thinking/journaling session to develop a plan for broader impact, legacy, visibility, and personal branding. The session is divided into three phases: Reflection, Visioning, and Action Planning.

Session Overview

Duration: 1.5 hours
Tools Needed: Notebook or journal, pen, timer, optional: soothing music for focus

Phase 1: Reflection (30 minutes)

Goal: Analyze where you are now and identify existing strengths, gaps, and areas for growth.

Warm-Up (5 minutes)
- Take three deep breaths to center yourself.
- Free-write: “What is driving me to think about impact, legacy, and visibility today?”(Write freely, no judgment on grammar or coherence.)
Assessment Prompts (25 minutes)Use the following prompts to guide reflection. Write 5–7 minutes for each:
- Impact:
  - What do I consider my biggest contributions so far in my professional and personal life?
  - Who benefits most from my work or actions?
  - Are there ways I could broaden this reach or deepen the impact?
- Legacy:
  - What do I want people to say about me and my work in 10, 20, or 50 years?
  - What enduring values guide my decisions and goals?
  - What parts of my legacy are already taking shape?
- Visibility:
  - How do others currently perceive me professionally and personally?
  - What platforms, networks, or opportunities have I leveraged successfully?
  - Where do I feel unseen or underrepresented, and why?

Phase 2: Visioning (30 minutes)

Goal: Define your desired future impact, legacy, and visibility.

Visualization Exercise (5 minutes)
- Close your eyes and imagine your ideal life and career 10 years from now.
  - Who are you impacting?
  - What legacy have you started building?
  - How are you visible in your field and/or community?
- Jot down key images, emotions, or ideas from this visualization.
Journaling Prompts (25 minutes)Spend about 5–7 minutes on each:
- Impact:
  - What are three measurable changes I want to see in the world because of my work?
  - What unique strengths or perspectives can I amplify to create impact?
- Legacy:
  - If I had to summarize my legacy in one sentence, what would it be?
  - What projects or initiatives can I start now that align with this legacy?
- Visibility:
  - What personal brand do I want to be known for?
  - What new habits, skills, or platforms could help me expand my visibility?

Phase 3: Action Planning (30 minutes)

Goal: Create a focused action plan to achieve broader impact, legacy, and visibility.

Set SMART Goals (15 minutes)Write one specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goal for each area:
- Impact: (e.g., “Develop a mentorship program for young professionals in my field within one year.”)
- Legacy: (e.g., “Publish a book or significant body of work outlining my key contributions to structural engineering by 2030.”)
- Visibility: (e.g., “Present my work in two international conferences next year.”)
Prioritize Key Steps (10 minutes)For each SMART goal, list 2–3 key actions or milestones to get started.
- Example for visibility:
  - Research speaking opportunities in relevant forums.
  - Update my personal website and LinkedIn profile by January.
Closing Reflection (5 minutes)
- What excites me most about this plan?
- What potential challenges might arise, and how can I address them?
- What is one small action I can take today to start?

After the Session

Review: Dedicate 5–10 minutes at the end of the week to revisit your notes and update progress.
Optional: Share insights or goals with a trusted mentor, friend, or accountability partner.

Share with your peers!