I very recently uncovered this guy, Gary Vaynerchuk, which is amazing considering his following online that continues to grow exponentially. He has done a lot, and he has said a ton as well.
He has caught my attention with an ongoing theme surrounding his legacy. He is convinced that much, okay all, of what he does is going to be tied to his legacy. This notion of legacy is how I ended up finding him online.
Turns out he is just as big online as Tim Ferriss. Turns out both guys have demonstrated incredible success in the business world, and they have cultivated an incredible following online as well. Both guys are heavily recruited for speaking engagements, and they are very involved in building businesses through a variety of endeavors.
I am sure that there are a dozen people similar in stature online that have done similar things, and they are continuing to build their communities online via all of the various platforms. Both Gary and Tim have really resonated for me in different ways – with Gary’s notion of legacy really drawing me in.
A few things about Gary:
He has built out a few businesses over the years.
He has a ton of energy and passion.
He has kids.
He is thinking long term.
He really does not care what you think, yet he pays attention to what is being said.
He is very clear on what his purpose is, and how he is informing his legacy each day.
He is relentless, and has been in the online game for years building things up each day.
He gives away a ton of valuable guidance and information through a variety of methods.
He can come off as abrasive, and is a fast talking – many times aggressive guy – from the northeast.
I identify with him on a variety of fronts, that is for sure. In my ongoing journey – increasingly focused on Legacy – he has helped me to focus in on a few things in a more disciplined manner.
What follows are a few notions he has about legacy coupled with my thinking alongside…
Legacy is greater than currency
I wrote a post a few days ago about various types of currencies and how we exchange them over the course of our days and lives. This notion of legacy as trumping all of them is one I’m continuing to work over.
Online Legacy
Gary has discussed at length about how his kids will eventually see his videos and posts. He believes that his message will be more effectively delivered to his own kids if it has already been popularized through whatever channel they end up using online in a few years. This is a wild inside out type of approach to parenting and delivering your message. I am certain he will continue to be a very involved guy with his kids ‘in person’ as they mature as well. Imagine having your approach to life being readily available to your lineage for many years to come. Juxtapose this approach with how much you know of your own grandfather on either side. What about his father? Very wispy knowledge of who they were as people I bet. This more than anything is what is fueling this blog today. Just yesterday, my oldest son asked me if I knew my father’s father. Sadly and embarrassingly, I had to say ‘No, not really. He was very sick and in bed by the time I was old enough to remember.’ I did share a few fragments, and the whole situation is sad and even more sadly – not that unique for many of us.
We all die
I have hit this topic obliquely a couple of times, and I will be writing more up on it in the coming weeks. What we leave behind is the legacy we created or failed to create. We all have the power to create something unique too. Too many of us side step this responsibility and default to the game plan imprinted on us. When you meet someone that is living their life, I guarandamntee that you notice it. I have learned very recently how people can die alone and nobody notices, and for many in the medical profession – this is an untold truth. By the way, I’m not referring to the homeless or some other cliche – I am talking about people in general. People from well to do families and homeless drugged out addicts too – people in hospital or nursing home dying without their legacy being manifested. For me, this is squandering our God given miracle of life. It has not always been an imperative of mine, but it is now. Just watch. (or better yet, get involved in your own script!)
More than your kids
Only recently was I educated that legacy is more than your kids. For me personally, I had adopted a mindset that was beyond my kids as my legacy. Gary speaks to broadening the conversation and impact. Someone very close to me also educated me that thinking our legacy is tied to our offspring can be very hurtful. If you stop and think about those people that choose not to have kids – for a variety of reasons – you get the point. Too many default to this notion of our kids being the primary vehicle for our legacy. Earlier in my life, I occupied this mindset too. And by no means did I intend to offend anyone with that mindset, I was genuinely focused on my kiddos – pure good intentions. I think this is the case for those that say that their kids are their legacy. I ask you – what if our legacy is inclusive of our offspring, but not defined by it. There is a post here, as I know of people that have had kids that have gone on to do/be awesome, and others that have not. Does that define their parents? I sure as hell hope not. Invert the perspective. Taking it a step further – if you do not have kids does that mean you have no legacy at all?
Community is legacy
Gary speaks about his funeral being a manifestation of his impact on those around him, and that he intends to have more of an impact than anyone else out there. He counts his community as a big piece of his legacy, and he has no confusion on this notion. He intends to build his community by impacting them with truth, authenticity, transparency, and real world results. I think he’s onto something with this notion of impacting as many as possible with the gifts he has. This post actually started out contemplating the final two questions we will be asked when we die, and it ended up as a riff on Legacy from a GaryVee infused perspective. I’ll come back to the 2 questions that my father gifted me over two decades ago.
Personal Conduct
Gary talks about actually giving a damn about people – as people – nothing more – nothing less. I can say from personal experience that this has been a very, very hard thing to do on a daily basis. I have historically had a tendency to blow by people on the street, ignore an earnest glance from someone simply wanting acknowledgement, and threatening others just with a glance. I’ve stopped doing all of that shit, as those behaviors were coming from a place of pain and emptiness.
Gary speaks of honesty, self awareness, and of empathy. Of truly treating people like they matter – everyone, every day, all the time. In certain circumstances, I am a little sad to say that I have not. It is very hard at first, and frankly it has been draining to adopt this attitude to lead every day with a genuine concern for every interaction that I have.
It is so easy to multitask during a conference call at work, to text while driving with others on the road or even worse while others are in the car, to ignore those in the home with you while you are in the next room doing your own thing.
For me this is has been among the hardest things I’ve adopted since last November, to truly be in the moment of now with a genuine concern for what is happening with me, with you, and with the third person perspective of the given situational context.
Above all other things this is the truth of legacy. It is built in the only moment we ever have and that is the moment of right now. It is built on a daily involvement that is magnetized. It is from a place of authenticity, of true vitality, and imbued with energy and passion.
This is hard somedays, especially when I am tired or feeling self judgy.
You know what? Even though it is hard somedays – I am clear on the point.
Legacy is built upon the now.
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People know the difference.
That’s what will define my legacy – my personal conduct in all of the ‘nows’ with each of you.
I believe this is true for all of us.