[dropcap]A[/dropcap] couple weeks ago, a good friend of mine relayed to me his “life motto.” It was only in passing, but it was profound: “be brief, be bright, be gone.”
These are words that I’ve been mulling over since then; so simple yet so powerful — and truthful. I’m glad that I heard them, and I’m relieved that such people exist who spread these ideas. Essentially, this formula for success doesn’t seek recognition, it doesn’t seek fame, nor power, it doesn’t seek to force a name for its own sake. The irony is that this motto defies all of the notions of power, fame, and ‘legacy’ that too many individuals see as the definers of achievement.
Which brings me to my main point: what is true legacy? If it isn’t defined by being recognized for doing great things, then what?
I’m cognizant of the fact that the word legacy means different things to different people — and is recognized predominantly as a something to aim for to prove one’s achievements. It’s a fluid term used to describe those who’ve accomplished great things; those who’ve passed down knowledge and ideals, who’ve influenced social values through their actions.
Personally, when I think of true legacy, I see figureheads such as Ghandi, Mother Theresa, and Martin Luther King — all of whom were true to their aims, left behind prominent ideologies toward life and human rights, and as such are recognized by their name. Sadly, I’ve lived around a large handful of people who seem caught up in the dramatic epicness of the “L” word, and who aim so desperately for recognition as a means to prove their success that the act of being recognized in itself becomes their prime motivator.
Forget legacy. It’s an empty, meaningless notion that will leave you miserable.
So, when does the term ‘legacy’ meld with notions of selfishness? More specifically, when does ‘legacy’ actually become selfishness? What’s interesting is that the above celebrities captured in human history who’ve left behind such great legacies are those who were not ever looking to be famous in the first place.
These prominent figures are known for their commitment, their honesty, their kindness, their sense of humility, and the fact that all of their endeavours came first and foremost.
I get it. They were celebrities. Many of us students want to be wildly successful. We want to do great things. We might long for our names to one day be just as recognizable. Though I will say that as soon as you strive to prove your worth for its own sake, you then taint the morals around achieving such recognition.
So, what is true legacy in my books? I’ll tell you. Legacy is a toxic fantasy. It’s a motivator for selfishness — it facilitates a hunger for power, it drives people to become obsessed with themselves rather than to focus on what their actual goals are; it causes a player to create a race for success that doesn’t even exist. Suddenly accomplishments aren’t so much about the aim, but how these accomplishments are perceived in the eyes of others. Suddenly, legacy becomes an exhausting and pointless crusade.
When we fuel our obsessions with leaving behind a legacy, we sadly lose sight of what’s truly important, the tasks to be accomplished for the greater good, whatever they may be. When we desperately try to capture our own legacy and to thrust our name into the spotlight, I’m sorry to say we will never achieve what we want in the end — at least not in the ways we strive to.
Forget legacy. It’s an empty, meaningless notion that will leave you even more miserable than you were at the beginning. Keep your head down, treat others with respect, stay positive, retain your humility, be honest and genuine, and focus on what’s truly important, and it probably won’t be long before any sort of ‘legacy’ follows you.
