What is your legacy?
Most of us think about our legacy at the end of our careers. But I just read Your Leadership Legacy by Robert Galford and Regina Maruca and they advocate the sooner we think about legacy the better. Legacy work is one of the primary components of sage-ing. If we feel as if our life matters and is fulfilled than it we look forward to getting older instead of fighting. We don't worry about wrinkles when we are focused on making a difference.
Galford and Maruca talk about how legacy thinking is forward thinking. We should be always aware of the difference we are making to those around us. With every decision we make or do not make, we are leaving a legacy.
Professional athletes have an advantage in that they are forced to think about retirement at a much earlier age. In doing so, the legacy athletes leave is often a reflection of the stories emphasized by the media.
Kurt Warner just announced his retirement and since he is a local hero people in Iowa paid attention. In fact, Warner said he knows what he wants his legacy to be:
"It's not the way I threw the football, it's not particular games that I won, but that they remember that here's a guy that believed, that worked hard," he said. "Although things didn't always go in his favor, he continued to press through, and with his faith in himself and his faith in God, he was able to accomplish great things."
Warner was stocking shelves in a grocery store when the Iowa Barnstormers discovered him. At that time, he would volunteer time in the elementary schools and my twin sons used to throw the football with him never dreaming that they were playing with a future star of the NFL.
Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner in their book A Leader's Legacy summarize it this way: “The legacy you leave is the life you lead.” Warner is a great story because of the authentic life he led. We can learn from his grace and generosity. He wanted to go out on top and he is doing that. Now it will be fun to see what else he accomplishes with his life.
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I feel as if knowing what you want your legacy to be gives you a sense of purpose and direction. It gives you a goal(s) to strive for, which creates or enforces a passion you may need to achieve that legacy. Wondering about aimlessly though life is a tragedy.
Posted by: Michael Lamos | May 05, 2011 at 09:49 PM