The Real Truth About Legacy
Roberta Matuson
Strategic Advisor on Talent | Global Executive Coach | Public Speaker I Brand Ambassador | HBR Contributor I Helping organizations attract & retain the best people.
Fred DeLuca, founder of Subway, didn't set out to create a legacy when he started Subway with a $1,000 loan from a family friend. But with hard work and a heart of gold, he turned his small business into an empire, leaving many people saddened by his passing. A legacy like Deluca's is rare, but not impossible to replicate if you are intentional with your life.
Most people start thinking about their legacies as they reach the tail end of their careers. At that point, it's usually too late to leave much of a lasting impression. I'm here to tell you that your legacy starts today. That's right.
Some of you who are reading this are about to put on your cap and gown and receive your college degrees. Others are smack dab in the middle of their careers or are about to taking their final curtain call. As you think about your life and the legacy you'd like to leave, I challenge you to ask yourself the following:
When my family gathers to congratulate me on my retirement, what would I like them to say about me? Would I like them to say, she was always there for her family? She put me before her job at the office? She was fully present?
How would you like those who worked for you to describe their experience? Were you tough, but fair? Did you give them a break when others would not? Did you do something out of the ordinary to help them move their career forward?
You see the truth is that many of us have great intentions as to how we'd like to live our lives. Yet when we get to the end, we realize we have failed to do what we intended. If you're reading this, you have the benefit of ensuring this doesn't happen to you.
Your legacy starts today. What are you going to do differently to ensure that people remember you for the right reasons? How will you make the lives of others better? What can you do today to make a difference for someone else?
I'll caution you that's it's not enough to simply think about these questions. You have to take action. Otherwise it's merely good intentions, which means nothing. That's because it's our behaviors that matter. Not our intentions.
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Head of Software Division - Siemens Financial Services- GO-TO Niche EXPERT
7 年Great to see Fred DeLuca's face. I had the great pleasure of knowing Fred. He was a true mentor to me for many years. We strategized, laughed, contemplated, and socialized together. He taught me to always think outside the box. He was kind, down to earth and approachable. Take the time to read his book while eating a nice turkey sub on asiago. You're missed but not forgotten my friend.