Are You a Legend or a Legacy?

There are several kinds of legends. You can be a legend want-a-be, a legend in your own mind, a legend with mythical notoriety, or a true legend whom others look up to with awe and respect. For some true legends, they just seem to fall into the situation, not unlike some medal of honor winners who were “just doing their duty.” For most true legends, and medal of honor winners, there is a cost to pay. The price can range from their health, their family, friends, and endless hours of hard work.

It is hard to be a legend. Few make the grade. I doubt that I will be considered a legend. To me, the cost would have been too high. For others, I simply take my hat off to them.

However, there is something that all of us can do even if we are never recognized by others, appear on the national news, or receive global honors. We can choose to leave a legacy.

What is a legacy? Wikipedia defines a legacy as “what someone or something is remembered for or what they have left behind that is remembered, revered or has impacted current events and the present day.”

While a legacy could include a significant monetary or property inheritance, I am most interested in whether our personal lives are impacting others around us in such a way that they are “touched by us”, motivated by us, encouraged by us, and helped by us in such a way that they remember it for the rest of their lives – and sometimes even tell their children about it. That could even include one simple but profound positive lesson that a parent leaves with their child.

While you are looking for a job or are developing your career, are you also leaving a positive legacy for your family, friends, and even strangers that you meet?

Are you focused on becoming a legend or on leaving a legacy?

Do You Feel Entitled or Entrepreneurial?

Most of us live in an entitlement world. We are entitled to our rights. As American or European citizens, we are entitled to government handouts, pensions, healthcare, vacation time, holidays, legal protection, police and fire protection, military protection, consumer protection, regulatory protection, a job, a promotion, training, education, etc. What entitlements do you feel that you are owed?

Entitlements have two dangers attached. The first danger of entitlement is that they make you risk adverse, lazy, and wanting more free goodies. If you are entitled, you don’t have to do anything for it. Others just give it to you. You don’t care who pays for it. You are owed “your share.”  You merely have to wait for your seniority to improve for better benefits.

Second, what happens if those entitlements disappear? What happens if your city, state, or country government runs out of money to fund those entitlements? What happens if the economy and job picture deteriorate so much that you become unemployed, your unemployment payment runs out, or your pension fund runs out of money?

My suggestion is that, even if we are taking advantage of current entitlements, we need to develop a different attitude. After all, if you have been keeping up with the news worldwide, there is a massive geo-political, demographic and economic shift threatening the continuing existence of all entitlements.

What is that different attitude? You might call it a spirit of entrepreneurialism. That means developing the attitude that you will take full control and responsibility for your own life. If you begin developing the ability to not depend upon others and quit expecting others to give you a handout, then you will begin learning how to become successful on your own, how to become independent, how to think for yourself, and how you can help others help themselves.

For example, when looking for a job your perspective might change from “you owe me a job” to “what can I do for you that makes you want to offer me a job?”  When trying to keep a job, you might begin taking actions to become invaluable in your current job, help others around you become successful, and to get known in other departments as someone of value. When planning your personal life, you might begin taking seriously the need to learn from others and to begin transforming yourself into someone who can take care of themselves, help others and not worry if your entitlements will disappear.

In an uncertain world, can you afford to feel entitled or is it time to become a entrepreneur and jobpreneur?

Do You Want to Play or Perform?

Have you ever noticed that many of our personal time and discussions are on our playtime? We like to party. We love our sporting events (my wife and I like tennis). We are thrilled to talk about our wonderful vacation experiences. Video games, computer games, movie entertainment, HD TV, time saving devices, and innumerable toys are often what is talked about yet can produce attention deficit disorder, impatience, and an unwillingness to actually do the work it takes to actually “do” something of value.

So, why should I be interested in actually “doing something” that produces more than just entertainment value?

Does this sound similar to last week’s blog? The difference is that play is much different than excusing ourselves for being a victim of our past. The past is past. Play is a current decision of our circumstances that we control.

Ok, I have been accused of “all work and no play” but why not make work what you are passionate about? Why not make work just as enjoyable as play? Why not plan work time to also include some play such as networking on the golf course, at a ball game, or at dinner. That can include your work network or your personal network, such as your family. In other words, structured play is a part of life and work and has value. Unstructured, mind numbing entertainment can be destructive and an incredible waste of time and money.

The difference is the result. Properly focused work helps others and yourself. Limited and focused play, such as a weekend in the mountains or coaching your daughter’s sports team or a planned vacation trip, can include play but should be considered rest and relaxation (R&R) to decompress and recharge one’s batteries. Then back to work passion we go!

You may not agree but the point I am trying to make is that whether looking for a job or developing your career, there is little time to waste unless there is a purpose and not merely mind numbing replacement of work effort with wasted activity – whether you are doing it at work or at home.

I am not suggesting the elimination of playtime. We all need down time every day. It is just that often the amount of playtime may be why you are still looking for a job or falling behind the promotion career curve.

My only point is that all of us need to ask ourselves, “Do we want to play or perform?”

Do You Seek Pills or Performance?

Why do I talk about pills?  Have you ever noticed that if you wanted to lose weight, improve your health, feel better emotionally, gain muscle – with almost any problem people are willing to help you by magic pills, magic processes, or short cuts? I even heard a person who meditates one hour a day, for personal peace and harmony, sell a series of tapes on how for only a few minutes a day you can have the same result that takes you an hour today. How many times a day do you get a get rich quick scheme that only requires a few minutes and “you too can join the rich and famous”?

Just think about it. No more having to exercise, no more having to eat a balanced low calorie diet, no more losing your hair, no more health issues, no more worries about your credit card debt, no more hard work or long hours studying, no more pressure – just take this pill, buy this tape, or follow these 10 simple steps… When your friend falls for one of these lines you may laugh at them, but how many times have you been fooled by wanting to take short cuts to results?

The other option is performance or results. If you want lifelong weight loss, what changes are you making in your lifestyle to get that result. If you want better health, mental or physical, what are you doing about your diet, work habits, stress levels, exercise, and other lifestyle decisions that may impact your health?

I believe it was B. T. Barney who said that “THERE IS A SUCKER BORN EVERY MINUTE.” Well, aren’t we all suckers at some point and time?

Perhaps the biggest sucker is ourselves when we seek to pop a pill to solve a problem that is really only solved by lifestyle changes.

If you want lifetime performance, you have to do what it takes to get the results – the right way.

Are you still looking for pills to pop or to learn how to deliver performance and get the results you want?

Are You a Victim or a Victor?

There many victims in this world. In fact, anyone can claim to be a victim. The poor may not have enough food, clothing, education, healthcare, nurturing, safety, role models, etc. The rich may have been spoiled, not enough time with loving parents, too much freedom, too much money, too many temptations, too much unstructured free time, too much access to drugs, sex, and mischief. Perhaps you are in the middle but had a negative teacher experience, a professor who could not teach, a boss who was unethical, etc. It is easy to blame others or our circumstances. It emotionally feels good to blame the system, blame our situation, and ignore our own responsibility. You might get compassion from a court of law or others but feeling like a victim does not solve anything. You will just remain a victim.

We have far fewer victors. A victor does not ignore the injustices in life. Instead, they feed off of wanting their lives to be different. They take any negative energy and turn it into positive motivation to become different. They want to provide food, clothing, opportunities, a better world and a better life for themselves and for their children and grand children. They choose to win at the game of life. They get up each morning determined to break through their past, their excuses, and their weaknesses to make a difference, to maximize their potential, and to ultimately leave a legacy.

Being a victim is easy. You don’t have to do anything.

Being a victor is hard. You have to be determined, work hard, persevere, and surround yourself with other like-minded victors to become successful. Many future victors are often surprised how many older victors are willing to reach out a hand to help those who are determined to win in life. These older victors have won already and are now working on paying it forward in order to leave a legacy for future generations of victors.

At the end of the day, the difference is what you decide to do with your life.

Will you be a victim or a victor?