You Are Worth More Than Your Stuff

Estate planning traditionally focuses on your financial assets—your stuff. But what about your other assets? Such as your wisdom, values, beliefs, and experiences. These are essential to pass on as well. In Your Meaning Legacy, legacy planning expert Laura Roser reveals a step-by-step approach to cultivating, capturing and passing on what matters most.

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From the Author

Several years ago, I met with a financial advisor who hooked me with the line, “We have a process to help you pass on your wisdom and principles to your children.”

Unfortunately, the line was just a ploy to sell me a life insurance policy. But the thought suck in my head: How would one go about passing on wisdom and principles to their children?

And on a grander scale: How would one go about cultivating and passing on a legacy of excellence?

My team and I spent the next several years coming up with answers to these questions. On our quest, we interviewed some of the best and brightest about legacy development and the inner workings of non-financial success—the list included influential CEOs, millionaires, celebrities, religious leaders, storytelling experts, top artists, innovative thinkers, philanthropists, family dynamics specialists, and more. And what we discovered is that there are seven key components to cultivating a meaningful legacy. These components must be “packaged up” correctly in order to share them with your loved ones, otherwise what gets left behind is accidental.

My book, Your Meaning Legacy, documents a step-by-step approach to defining your non-financial assets and packaging them up as a great gift for those you love.

Among other things, you will learn:

• How to clarify your legacy vision to create more fulfillment and purpose in life.
• Ways to improve family communication and create joint goals.
• Why a child’s understanding of their past leads to higher levels of self-esteem, loyalty to the family, and independence.
• How to avoid regrets—you will not reach the end of your life and wonder why you didn’t express your love before it was too late.
• Strategies to capture your knowledge to pass on to loved ones so that they have an “instruction manual” from you outlining lessons you’ve learned, what you believe in, and how you have done practical things (such as manage money or grow your business).
• How to build a legacy to be remembered for, providing hope, a sense of pride, and inspiration for future generations.
• Which components are essential to create a tangible record of your life that will be treasured and not fade over time, as memories tend to do.
• Why your giving personality may be the key to more meaningful philanthropic endeavors.
• And much more.

This instructional book has dramatically changed the way I think about my impact on others and my purpose in life. I certainly hope it helps you in creating more meaningful connections and packaging up the best parts of yourself to be passed on to your loved ones.

Everyone has a unique legacy to leave behind. I wish you luck on your journey.

All the best,

Laura Roser
More about the author →

Praise for Your Meaning Legacy

“We love the idea of people creating a legacy of meaning that will not only benefit their children and their children’s children, but also serve the greater good for decades to come. In her book Your Meaning Legacy, Laura Roser goes into great detail about the defining components of a meaning legacy, stages of planning, best ways to pass along these intangible assets, and much more. We believe, as Laura does, that we are all on this earth to make a difference. No matter your age or stage of life, Your Meaning Legacy will prepare you to share your life and learnings with generations to come. Read it and mark your place in time.”

-Ken and Margie Blanchard, cofounders of The Ken Blanchard Companies and coauthors of Servant Leadership in Action

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“If you care about your impact on the world and your family, read Your Meaning Legacy. It will teach you how to pass on what’s most important.”

– Kevin Cashman,Global Head of CEO & Executive Development , Korn Ferry, Best-Selling Author of Leadership from the Inside Out and The Pause Principle

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“This wonderful, meaningful and important work encourages, educates and dares the reader to touch their heart’s needs and to be present and mindful to their true mission. Your Meaning Legacy fills a vast void and is a must read.”

– Michael F. Kay, Author of The Feel Rich Project

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“Your Meaning Legacy gives insight into what legacy really means and how to build a legacy that will last for generations. Through her own work in the field and research from other experts, Laura has distilled a meaningful way to outline the essential framework to take a theoretical ideal and build something concrete and lasting that can impact your family and the community. The book provides a thorough understanding on ways to capture your legacy and involve those you love in the process. A great read!”

– Michael G. Stuart, JD, CPA, Co-Founder of The Family Legacy Alliance

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“This masterfully crafted primer on ‘legacy’ should be required reading for those individuals and families who seek to amplify their impact now and for generations to come. As a fellow pioneer in ‘more than money’ legacy and wealth management, I am glad to report that Laura has set out a path that is worthy of following. Your journey should begin by reading these pages.”

– Monroe “Roey” Diefendorf, Jr., Author of 3 Dimensional Wealth: A Radically Sane Perspective On Wealth Management and A Better Way: Using Purposeful Trusts To Preserve Values & Valuables In Perpetuity

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“Use this valuable guide to learn how to share what is important to you, how you felt along the way, and how you want your wisdom transferred—and do it all in a fun, meaningful, and lasting way.”

-Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D.
Author of Color Your Life Happy: Create Your Unique Path and Claim the Joy You Deserve

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“From Personal Legacy Statements to Family Mission Statements, Laura Roser openly shares her passion and a much-needed process that helps readers pass on the legacy they want instead of leaving it to chance.”

– Charlie Douglas, Chairman, Multidisciplinary Committee, NAEPC

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“Laura is a gifted writer and storyteller. Her ability to speak to legacy in so many different terms – especially through the sharing and passing on of non-financial assets is powerful. Philanthropy does indeed create the greatest legacy in our society and Laura captures the power of philanthropy in this truly meaningful book.”

– Bill Littlejohn, CEO and Senior Vice President, Sharp HealthCare Foundation