2 Keys to Legacy Building

The 2022 Super Bowl got me thinking…

It got me thinking about a few fears that I have.

One of those fears centers around worry.  More specifically, worrying about how others perceive me.  Can you relate?

Why did a football game make me think about this?  

Great question.

Let me start here - I am and always have been unapologetically a fan of Matthew Stafford.  He was the quarterback for our Detroit Lions for 12 years.  This last year, facing another rebuild within the organization, he asked for a trade.  He was traded to the LA Rams.  Our house became a “Rams House” that day!

The questions surrounding this athlete were all about what kind of legacy he was going to have.  The Lions never won a playoff game with him.  Was it because of him?  Was it because of the organization?  Was it a combination of both? 

These are the questions that always circled local sports columns and were yelled about on talk radio.  

If you’re not a football person I apologize for this deep dive! 

If you have zero social media presence or didn’t watch the game - I’m going to fill you in on the outcome.  The Rams won the Super Bowl.  Matthew Stafford is a Super Bowl winning athlete.

I still haven’t quite answered how this plays into my fears, have I?  That’s coming.  I promise. But for now, let’s continue with a little football.

As the NFL season has come to a close, there is nothing that can be taken away from the fact that Matthew Stafford won.  Regardless of the criticism and the nitpicking of little details, he won.  

It’s legacy defining.  10 years from now, all the little plays and little criticisms will be forgotten by most.  What will be remembered is he became a super bowl champion.

This had me thinking about my legacy. 

10 years from now, how will I be remembered by those I’m around today?

I don’t love that question because, once again, it provokes some fear within me.

But It’s a good question.  

It’s a question we should be asking ourselves every single day.

Far too often, when people ask me, “How are you?” my answer has sounded like “I’m okay” or “I’m tired.”

It makes me cringe just thinking about it.  The reality is, those are both true, honest answers in those moments.  But my goodness is that how I want to be remembered?  

I’m okay.  I’m tired. 

When I take into consideration the tools of storytelling, I want to curl up in a ball when I read those statements as part of my character development.

How many endearing characters in the latest book you read are described as okay and tired?

When you think about your legacy, I want to help you, as I seek to grow myself.

Don’t justify just getting by.

Here are the two keys we need to alter the course of our legacy:

1) Stop making excuses.

I have plenty of excuses.  Parenting four kids, leading meetings, decision fatigue, and on and on.
You probably have good excuses too. Life is hard. Parenting is hard. Leadership is hard. Some days, getting out of bed can be hard.

It doesn’t matter what our excuses are - we need to stop making them. I’ve had to learn this the hard way too many times but when life seems to have kicked you down, ask. for. help. We can try to justify all of our reasons for being just okay. I don’t want just okay. I don’t believe you do either.

Do whatever it takes to stop making those excuses that are holding you back.

PS - I have an eBook coming out that will address how to combat some of these feelings and lies we tell ourself that keep us building up excuses. Subscribe to the All Good Stories email list for a free copy!

2) Start building habits.

Good, healthy habits that bring joy to myself, my family, and the people I’m surrounded with don’t just happen.  I have to be very intentional with my days, hours, and minutes.  

Ask: Am I intentional with my minutes?

That may seem like a stretch to break your day down into minutes but you’ll be surprised how many good decisions and good habits we can build if we’re intentional with little windows of our day.

Start with small decisions that start avalanching down into bigger decisions and habits.

Do not underestimate how a simple habit can change the trajectory of your mindset.

Ask: How do I want to be remembered?

It’s likely not the “okay, tired” person.  

Let’s stop the excuses and let’s start building habits today that will define our legacy for tomorrow.