Your Legacy is Now
Life is not a search for meaning from others, it’s about the creation of meaning for yourself.
For over 30 years Alan Weiss has consulted, coached, and advised everyone from Fortune 500 executives, state governors, non-profit directors, and entrepreneurs to athletes, entertainers, and beauty pageant contestants. That’s quite an assortment of people, and they run into the thousands. Most of them have had what we euphemistically call “means,” and some of them have had a lot more than that. Others have been aspiring and with more ends in sight than means on hand.
Alan Weiss states:
I’ve dealt with esteem (low), narcissism (high), family problems, leadership dysfunctions, insecurities, addictions, and ethical quandaries. And I’ve talked about them through the coronavirus crisis. But don’t get the wrong idea. About 95% of these people have been well-meaning, honest (to the best of their knowledge), and interested in becoming a better person and better professional. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be talking to me.
I found the equivalent of the “runner’s wall” in their journeys, where they must break through the pain and the obstacles and then can keep going with renewed energy and spirit. But runners know how far they must go after the breakthrough, be it another half lap or another five miles. There is a finish line.
I’ve found that people in all positions, even after the “breakthrough,” don’t know where they are in the race, let alone where the finish line is.
They do not know what meaning is for them. They may have money in the bank, good relationships, the admiration of others, and the love of their dogs. But they have no metrics for “What now?” They believe that at the end of life there is a tallying, some metaphysical accountant who totals up their contributions, deducts their bad acts, and creates the (hopefully positive) difference.
That difference, they believe, is their “legacy.”
But the thought that legacy arrives at the end of life is as ridiculous as someone who decides to sell a business and tries to increase its valuation the day prior. Legacy is now. Legacy is daily. Every day we create the next page in our lives, but the question becomes who is writing it and what’s being written. Is someone else creating our legacy? Or are we, ourselves, simply writing the same page repeatedly?
Or do we leave it blank?
Our organic, living legacy is marred and squeezed by huge normative pressures. There is a “threshold” point, at which one’s beliefs and values are overridden by immense peer pressure. Our metrics are forced to change.
In an age of social media, biased press, and bullying, we’ve come to a point where our legacy, ironically, is almost out of our hands.
Yet our “meaning”—our creation of meaning and not a search for some illusive alchemy—creates worth and impact for us and all those with whom we interact.
Stuart Atkins
Good reminders, Alan, as always.
I wake up every morning full of optimism and thankful I have a healthy body and mind, clients, classes to teach, speaking events, a new book, and a wife and 3 kids that love me. I just think using the recovery word at this point is premature and is not supported by the economic data and trends.
I do sometimes find it tough to balance optimism with reality. Granted, no economy is perfect, yet there are still serious concerns: exploding government debt (4 to 12% of GDP in just the past year, alone); job stagnation; growing EU international debt expansion; and pending inflation once the government releases the artificial plug in the money supply dike, to name just a few. Bottom line: without sustained, long-term job growth we cannot have recovery.
We have lost over 8 million jobs since this recession started, so minor upticks have little significance at this point. Also, the unemployment numbers reported don’t include real unemployment-those who work part-time or have given up looking.
We can’t control the economy but we can control how we respond to the downside. I see a bright future, yet it will take longer than anticipated for the sun to shine through the long-term fog.
Alan Weiss
This is a world of earthquakes, uncertainly, volcanoes, economic fluctuations, and so on. You’re focusing on the negatives and you sound scared. You can’t do anything about EU international debt. Focus on being productive, helping yourself, and helping others. We’ve lost 8 million jobs and 90% of everyone are still employed. If you give up looking, that’s really not my problem.
Your response to the downside is a lot of baggage you can’t do anything with but sink under the weight. You seem to wake up full of optimism and to to sleep full of dread. You’re defining reality far too harshly.
Stuart Atkins
Good feedback.
I am not scared and sleep well every night.
Perhaps we sometimes use the word, “recovery” too quickly? Is it the “cry wolf recovery” syndrome?
Off to a fantastic Saturday in sunny California! Thanks for taking the time to respond.
Alan Weiss
A lot of cognitive dissonance there. If you’re not scared, stop trying to scare everyone else!
Stuart Atkins
“Cognitive dissonance”–I have no regrets! In my principles of marketing class, I apply CD more to a consumer’s response to a product or service rather than the economy, but I am sure it fits there, too.
My intent is not to scare anyone. Facing the facts rather than fear works better. Perhaps a positive approach to reality is the balance?
Alan Weiss
A positive approach, not doom and gloom. I’m weary of the guys telling us every day for 20 years that things will collapse and finally one day shout, “I was right!” What a waste of a life.
Stuart Atkins
I agree! Point well taken.
Now, off to help small businesses contribute to positive growth.
Stuart Atkins
How about that stock market and jobless recovery?
Interesting week!
Alan Weiss
The new jobs are up, and unemployment is up, which is positive, because people who had given up looking (and were no longer counted) have re-entered the job market. The stock market, after the technical error, wound up 300 points lower, still above 10,000, with a small European country imploding. The problem in Greece is that those protestors are government employees unhappy with their perks diminishing. You can’t retire at 53, cheat on your taxes, and demand that the government do nothing.
Greece has a lower GNP than Dallas, Texas. This, too, shall pass.
Stuart Atkins
Greece exhibits the same, systemic symptoms that exist in Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and the UK. It’s the same “Nanny State,” entitlement approaches that are taking a gradual hold in my home state of CA, and the U.S.
I still think it goes beyond just Athens and Dallas. Cowboys and philosophers are telling us something. Plato would not be happy with his Republic. Perhaps the philosopher kings may be taking things too far.
The fundamental issues may be deeper than a mere technical error. The market was shifting days prior to the “typo.” I hope it was that simple, but my mind and instinct tells me otherwise.
I plan to stay positive, think long-term, and move forward with value for my clients, no matter what the market brings our way.
Alan Weiss
I don’t understand your second paragraph, but I only have three advanced degrees.
As for your fears, did you think the market would be where it is today a year ago? No. You were predicting more gloom. You’re failing to appreciate the great resiliency in a market that can withstand all that’s happening.
Stuart Atkins
The second paragraph ties into your Dallas comment, then fits Plato’s Republic and his Philosopher King into our theme.
I have two advanced degrees, blending theology, philosophy, history, and communications into business, with a technology blend, too. Sorry if I was confusing.
Yes, indeed, the market is resilient. Point well taken!
Alan Weiss
Thanks for the clarification!
Ian Pipe
Actually, I think Stuart makes a good point. We all interpret what we see. If there is a risk (such as individual states like California) tanking, it affects investment decisions and other decisions.
This does not mean one loses optimism; it means that you may choose something else that has less risk to take you and others forward.
Alan Weiss
Agreed, Ian. But perception is reality, and perceptions are very vulnerable to prevailing “reporting” and rumor, and those are not always based in empirical reality. One needs perspective and independent validation.
Stuart Atkins
Great point, Alan, especially when much of the reporting fits into the “false positive” category.
Much of the current economic “reporting” seems to ignore empirical, economic reality. Optimism is foundational; reality not optional.