The Ikigai Explorer

Article 6: Legacy and the Long View

Introduction

When you’re young, legacy feels distant, something for later, maybe even irrelevant. But as we age, and especially after becoming a parent, the idea of what we leave behind begins to take on new weight. Legacy isn’t just about big accomplishments or generational wealth. It’s about memory. Meaning. Message. In this article, I reflect on how my desire to explore and document the world has grown into a deeper desire: to leave behind stories, lessons, and a blueprint, not only for my daughter, but for anyone else on their own path.

The Long View

When I was younger, I didn’t think much about legacy. I wanted adventure, new experiences, and the kind of life that felt good in the moment. But over time, the value of the journey began to shift. It wasn’t just about collecting memories for myself; it was about passing something on.

I’ve made documentaries, articles, photo essays, and books from travels that have taken me around the globe several times and to some of the most remote corners of the earth. At some point during these trips, I realized what I was really trying to build wasn’t just a career, it was a story archive. A living document. A way to preserve how I saw the world, how I felt about it, and what I’d learned from walking through it. You are reading a small part of that life’s work as we speak. 

Every close call that I have had, and I have had a few, I am reassured by my archives. This legacy will be an echo of my existence. It is my record, my account, and in ways my immortality to those who matter.   

Why Stories Matter

I’ve always found meaning in documentation. From sketching as a kid to photography and travel filmmaking, it all came down to the same thing: storytelling. Once I complete an article, sketch, book, film, or even color correction on a photograph, I get a sense of fulfillment and peace, as if to say, well, that is now done and part of the record. 

But not just any stories. They have to be stories that mean something. Stories that could teach, or heal, or simply remind someone, especially my daughter, that life is rich and vast and worth diving into, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.

That’s why I’m writing this series. So that one day, long after I’m gone, she’ll have a map, not of what she should do, but of how I tried to find meaning. She’ll see the stumbles and wrong turns, the moments of clarity, the truths I uncovered along the way.

Her path will undoubtedly be uniquely hers, as it should be, but maybe, just maybe, I can serve as her compass along the way. 

The Importance of Living First, Then Sharing

There were times when I thought making gear for enthusiasts or capturing portraits of others was enough. And maybe it was, for a while. But I kept coming back to this central truth: if I want to be a storyteller worth listening to, I have to live a story worth telling.

That’s what legacy is; it’s not what you say you care about. It’s what you live like you care about.

It’s the example you leave behind. The echoes of your choices. The sum of your ordinary and extraordinary days.

For me, that means taking the time to write these words. To shoot those videos. To leave behind not just memories, but meaning. Something my daughter and others walking similar paths can turn to when their own trail feels unclear.

Reflection Questions

Ask yourself:

• If I vanished tomorrow, what would I leave behind?
• What lessons, values, or moments do I hope people remember about me?
• What creative medium or mentoring could I use to pass that on?
• Am I living in a way that reflects the legacy I want to leave?

Closing Thought

Legacy isn’t a someday project. It starts with what you choose to do today. It’s not about fame or fortune, it’s about planting something meaningful that grows beyond you.

So don’t just chase moments—craft messages. Tell your stories. Leave your fingerprints on the world in a way that lasts longer than the trip.

Looking Ahead

Next, we turn inward again. We’ll explore the most important tool in any explorer’s kit: self-awareness. To know yourself deeply is to navigate life with clarity. And that kind of honesty? It’s the foundation of everything.