One of the greatest concerns I hear from men centers around how they will be remembered and what they will leave behind. While it’s valid to consider the lasting impact we will have on the world, projecting too far into the future can actually undermine our ambitions.
We’ve been rewarded to an extent by planning ahead. Strategy and forethought are critical to almost every victory. So it’s natural to apply this conditioning everywhere we can.
But when it comes to something that approaches the notion of immortality, a different method is necessary.
The idea of leaving a legacy actually creates a paradox. The only way to truly create one is to live fully in the present moment, seemingly unfettered by the past or the future.
Too much focus on the days ahead prevents us from actually being engaged with the here and now. Our immediate existence is the only thing we can ever truly experience. As such, it is the only foundation on which to build anything. Making any kind of mark then, is only possible through our current action, not by some far off endeavor.
I see so many guys with the best of intentions, overlooking the beauty of a tree in an effort to see the entire forest. Lost in the vision of some grand scheme, they are blind to the opportunities that are standing right in front of them.
In a world built on the illusion and allure of extremes, we often dismiss the importance of all the tiny moments that continually slip away unnoticed.
The pursuit of legacy mistakenly puts the cart in front of the horse. Much in the same way that trying to achieve a certain athletic physique solely through lifting can only simulate, not replicate athletic qualities.
Stop Worrying About Your Legacy
The Problem With Legacy
Symbolism vs Substance
There’s a wide chasm between the desire to look like someone who does a thing, and being able to do it. Having the appearance of a person who can box and actually being a boxer are not the same.
If the goal is to posses a set of aesthetic attributes, the best way is to actually develop them is through application, rather than just in appearance. Form will inevitably follow function. To approach this meaningfully, it helps to understand what the visual cues we aspire to signify to us and why.
If we decide that the lean musculature of an elite fighter represents hard work, discipline, and tenacity, then our desire to embody them is less about the look and more about the capability that comes with it.
The reason we find things visually appealing (whether it be in art or physical appearance) lies directly with what it means to us. When we are able to understand the symbolism a certain aesthetic evokes, we can begin to pursue those actual characteristics themselves, instead of simply mimicking thaem.
So what then does the thought of legacy symbolize for us? In most men, it indicates a level of lasting value. That what was done in life echoes beyond the grave and is remembered for generations. If we accomplish enough, surely our deeds will not be forgotten.
But this view of legacy stands in opposition to the self-worth we are trying to prove. It implies, “If I can ensure my legacy, then the merit and recognition I am striving towards will be secured for all time.”
This perspective actually impedes the very thing it endeavors to create. By projecting our self-worth out into the future, it by default means we do not have it currently. And if we do not posses it now, then it is impossible to be building our legacy in this moment. The opportunity will always lie just out of reach, somewhere over a horizon at which we will never arrive.
Legacy as a Living Practice
The best way to look like a boxer is to become a boxer. The best way to look like a swimmer is through swimming. And the best way to leave a legacy is to LIVE that legacy, right now.
This means learning to recognize that what you currently have to offer today, has tremendous value. Our true legacy comes from sharing the virtues we have in this moment, not from ones we hope to develop later.
Legacy then, is not predicated on what we eventually build. Instead, it relies on the influence we have on the people around us… and how they ultimately impact the world after we are gone.
I want people who meet me to be better off than they were before and then impart that onto others. This model holds true with my children as well. My intention is to raise them in a such a way that not only grants them opportunity and capacity beyond my own, it also equips them to instill that ability in their children and the generations to follow.
This is how we change the world.
The foundation of our legacy is built upon the effect we have on those around us. And it isn’t something that has to wait, we can start laying those bricks immediately.
As long as we continue to grow and continue to share, our legacy will take care of itself.