How to Leave a Lasting Legacy: Becoming a Top #10 Person
Let’s start with a quick quiz:
How many of these "GOATs" (Greatest of All Time) can you name? Answers at the bottom.
Richest person (adjusted for inflation) that ever lived?
Which Roman emperor grew the empire the most?
Who was voted as the greatest athlete of the 1940s?
Who is the most popular musician of all time?
Who is the most influential person who ever lived?
Who is the world leader who led their country the longest?
What is largely considered the most important invention of all time? Who invented it?
Who is the most quoted person of all time?
Before Walmart, what was the biggest retailer, and who founded it?
Who is the most influential person in your life? Why?
The Problem With Chasing #1
There’s a widespread belief that if we achieve enough wealth, status, or influence, our legacy will live on for generations. But here’s the truth: you probably won’t be remembered for very long.
Even if your goal is not selfish but focused on generational purposes, studies show your legacy may not last. A staggering 70% of generational wealth doesn’t make it past the second generation, and 90% disappears by the third.
But it’s not just about money not lasting. The harsh reality is that the average person is remembered for only four generations—just about 100 years. After that, even your own descendants may not know who you were. After all what is the name of your great great grandparents?
Shifting Focus: Becoming a Top 10 Person
If you want to leave a lasting legacy, it’s time to shift your focus. Instead of trying to become the greatest in wealth, fame, or achievement, aim to become a Top #10 Person in the lives of others.
What does this mean? Simply put, strive to be someone who makes others feel valued, inspired, and supported. Becoming a Top 10 Person means living in a way that earns you a place on someone’s list of “most influential people in my life.”
How to Become a Top 10 Person
According to genuinerelationships.net, here are seven actionable steps to build meaningful, lasting relationships and make a lasting impact:
Practice Empathy: See the world through others’ eyes. Understanding their feelings and experiences fosters trust and connection.
Listen Actively: Be present. Give your full attention to others without interrupting or thinking about how you’ll respond.
Express Gratitude: Show appreciation for the big and small things people do. Gratitude strengthens bonds and creates goodwill.
Be Open and Vulnerable: Share your authentic self. Vulnerability fosters intimacy and helps others relate to you on a deeper level.
Respect Boundaries: Acknowledge and honor others’ limits—whether emotional, physical, or professional.
Communicate Clearly: Speak honestly and thoughtfully. Clear communication minimizes misunderstandings and strengthens trust.
Invest Time and Energy: Building strong relationships requires effort. Make the people in your life a priority.
Redefining Success
To live as a Top 10 Person, you’ll need to redefine success. It’s no longer about external achievements like wealth, fame, or career milestones. Instead, it’s about the quality of your relationships and the positive impact you have on others.
This mindset shift can be challenging in a world that celebrates individual accomplishments and other people’s trophy cases are just a doom scroll away. But the rewards of living for others are profound: deeper connections, a more meaningful life, and a legacy that endures far longer than material achievements. Plus science says healthy relationships helps you live a longer healthier life.
The wisest person that ever lived Solomon shared these same conclusion to his proteges. Chasing after the things of this world will only make you envious (or envied), you can’t take them with you, and whatever you do leave behind will probably be squandered anyway. These things are like chasing the wind. At the end Solomon’s wisdom led him to understand true success is having great relationships.
Take Action Today
Change isn’t easy, but it’s possible. Start by implementing these principles into your daily life. Here’s how:
Morning Reflection: Set an intention for the day. For example, commit to practicing gratitude or active listening. Use this Daily Planner to help you build these habits.
Look for Opportunities: Throughout the day, find small ways to connect with others—through kind gestures, thoughtful conversations, or simple acts of support.
Evening Review: Reflect on your interactions. What went well? What could you improve?
For more content on healthy relationships, visit genuinerelationships.net.
Quiz Answers
Richest person (adjusted for inflation): Mansa Musa, 14th-century emperor of the Mali Empire.
Roman emperor who grew the empire most: Emperor Trajan (98–117 AD).
Greatest athlete of the 1940s: Joe Louis, legendary heavyweight boxing champion.
Most popular musician of all time: The Beatles, with over 425 million records sold worldwide.
Most influential person ever: Jesus Christ, whose teachings shaped Western civilization and ethics.
Longest-serving world leader: King Sobhuza II of Swaziland (82 years, 1899–1982).
Most important invention: The printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg.
Most quoted person: William Shakespeare.
Biggest retailer before Walmart: Sears, Roebuck and Co., founded by Richard Warren Sears.
Most influential person in your life: That’s for you to decide—and reflect on why.
The Legacy of a Top #10 Person
You may never be remembered as the richest, the most famous, or the most successful in your field. But by focusing on relationships and living as a Top #10 Person, you can create a legacy that truly matters—one built on love, connection, and positive impact.
As Confucius said (we think it was him), the impact you make on others is the one that lasts. So start your journey of joining someone else’s top ten list today.