MONDAY MINDSET: SEEDS NOT BORDERS

WEEK OF 10/14/24

 

At some point in our lives, we stop thinking so much about what we’re going to accomplish, but rather what we will leave behind.  What is our legacy here on this planet?  What was the point, after all?  How did we make our mark on this world?

As an aging martial artist (ok, 42 isn’t old, but it ain’t young either) on the other side of my professional fight career, I’ve been thinking a lot about what impact I’ll have made in this community when all is said and done.

And I think, when it comes to legacy, some people draw borders, while others spread seeds.

For some people, authority and legacy mean finding a piece of real estate in the world, squatting on it like a dragon on a horde of treasure, and then drawing — and defending — its boundaries.  The thought being, I suppose, that there is some sort of immortality through carving out some real estate in the world.  A place that people can point to and say, “that belonged to so-and-so — he was the expert in that field.”  But borders change.  Maps are constantly being drawn and re-drawn.  Borders are, ultimately, just a figment of our imagination.

And I guess, that’s ok.

For me, it’s more about spreading seeds.  I don’t care if my name is ever mentioned again in relation to the impact I’ve made in the world.  I don’t need a park bench with a brass plaque memorializing my contributions or anything.  I want to “live on” through the seeds I’ve planted.

If I’ve ever said something important, I want that to be spoken again.

If I’ve ever made someone feel good, I want that behavior to be repeated.

If I’ve ever taught something worth learning, I want that taught to the following generations.

And so on.

Legacy isn’t about gathering and holding, it’s about spreading and sharing.

You don’t have to make an impact through your name.  Your impact can be through how you speak, act, and teach those around you.  And I’d argue that, ultimately, that is a more enduring legacy.

Plaques and memorials erode, but knowledge, manners, and insight live on.

So are you drawing borders, or are you spreading seeds?