The mark of an individual left on the world represents their legacy. While someone’s legacy can involve success, achievements and even financial freedom, the concept of legacy is much larger than the value of an individual's estate. It is about the richness of the individual's life, including what that person accomplished and the impact he or she had on people and places. Ultimately, the story of a person's life reflects the individual's legacy. We love to refer to persons, especially those in the sporting worlds as legends.
If you've ever wondered what people will remember about you after you are gone, that means you have spent some time thinking about your legacy.
A person's legacy of accomplishments isn't just about winning titles, awards, breaking records and coming out ahead. It includes all kinds of accomplishments, such as successfully overcoming adversity, raising a proper family, helping to create resilient individuals, excelling as a leader and much more. The things a person does and achieves throughout a lifetime form a powerful legacy that others will remember about them. This past week we had to deal with the death of former national player Clyde Leon and former referee Noel Bynoe. We’ve lost so many sporting personalities along the way particularly over the past few months. We are losing loved ones and people around us. But those of us who are here still have that opportunity to continue building our legacy and having an impact on those around us.
The influence an individual has on others is also an important aspect of legacy. People who set positive examples for others through their actions and words can leave a powerful legacy of good deeds and appropriate behaviour. It is important that we try to use someone’s attributes as a way of benefitting from their “legacy” by continuing to create a better environment and life for others.
Keep in mind that a person's legacy isn't always positive. An individual who behaves in unethical ways to get ahead without concern
for others will leave behind a very different legacy than an individual who lives a good life characterized by high moral standards and concern for others.
An article in the NY Times asked “ When your physical life ends, how do you want to be remembered? What do you hope people will say about you? What kind of lasting impact do you want to have made on the world, whether it’s through your work, accomplishments, relationships or something else?
Another question can be when you think about people who left a legacy, who comes to mind? Someone of great importance, like Nelson Mandela or Brian Lara or Leon. Or maybe someone who captured our imagination, like Diego Maradona. Perhaps someone who made the world a better place, like Mother Teresa. But a legacy is much more than people knowing our name or applauding us for what we did. Our legacy is made up of everything we leave behind us, the good and the bad. You can leave a world-changing legacy without anyone ever knowing your name.
Our resume is, ironically, more enduring. Accomplishments can be undone, written over, or in vain, yet they can never be un-accomplished. You cannot un-score a goal or un-run a race. The truth is that we will all leave a legacy, regardless of whether anyone remembers our name. We probably won’t leave a legacy of world-renowned success or one that was popular in the streets. Maybe some of us will save a life or two, but none of us will save a million. Yet our legacies matter, precisely because we can’t know the full extent of the impact we have on the world around us. We should see every action, big or small, as having the power to change the lives of those around us in the sporting arena.
We can choose to try to be ahead of our time, be excellent in the time we’re allowed, or be out of time. In any case, we can all become something all worthwhile that legacies should be: Timeless.
"In football, the result is an impostor. You can do things really, really well but not win. There's something greater than the result, more lasting - a legacy - Xavi.
Editor's Note:
Shaun Fuentes is the head of TTFA Media. He is a former FIFA Media Officer at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey The views expressed are solely his and not a representation of any organisation. shaunfuentes@yahoo.com