We all want to leave a legacy behind so that the things that we do transcend the field that we have chosen and our life story when completed is told to others as an inspiration. Who doesn't like to gain respect from the people currently alive and be defined as a legend?
A legend’s life is not only lived by them but constantly renewed by coming generations as the things they take up are pursued with the same interest by the new generation. A life that other people recognize as exemplary and full of achievements is the only one that helps you enter the record books of history.
# 1. All Well-Known People Are Not Legends
This is one of the most prevalent problems of our times because of information overload. The public has access to data like never before, and everybody knows someone or the other they admire a lot and think is better than them. Sure whenever we are judging someone, and we do judge all the time, we compare what they have and what we have. We see them through the flaws and strengths of our own ego. If you think less of yourself and more of a certain someone, you may confuse him or her for a legend when they are just good at something you are not. Legends are people who dare to attempt things other people shrink of and excel at things which others notice as hard to do, leaving a lasting impression on what they are good at.
# 2. Take A Year To Test All Your Skills And Yourself
Most people take a quick action to get out of the trouble that is closing in on them, and once it is gone, they are boxed in the role that they chose cutting down all other opportunities. This is why most people never attempt all the things and how can one possibly know that they are good at something without even attempting it. There are countless things and career choices one can make till one feels in their heart their true calling. A year where you are not tied to anything and free to do everything will not only kill all your hesitation but will also present you with a learning curve that has a greater vertical. Even if you don’t get unmatched success in a particular field, you will have unparalleled experience whenever you settle for a career as you will have more practical contact with life that will reflect in your work and character making you a strong presence of life.
# 3. Don’t Go About Things Half-Heartedly
Going about things half-heartedly will never make you a legend in what you do. The practical application requires hard work and self-confidence. If you treat what you do as nothing good enough, then this attitude will never take you higher. The plan must help you to surrender yourself to a thing that you like and give it your complete devotion. It is only when you surrender yourself to a thing can you master it.
# 4. Study History To Know Great People
Studying history and learning about great men and women who overcame obstacles to succeed and chart their own course helps you notice the strength of these people. The rule of life is simple - strength respects strength. The leaders of today are the ones who empower other people instead of closing the door on them. All great people have exuded values that profess the good of the people instead of maximizing their shortcomings and their vices. A positive attitude towards mankind helps establish hope and harmony.
# 5. Emulate Your Examples
Henry Ford gave the world it’s the first car, and Thomas Edison gave the world it’s first light bulb. They went down a strange path to bring things to the world that the world did not feel the need for until they came along. Research and try to experiment with junk. Use your imagination to put different elements together and discard the things that do not work without getting disheartened. Legends chart their own course and don’t get overwhelmed with adversity. The definition of a legend does not only include successful mentions, it also includes the activities he or she undertakes during their time with undying enthusiasm to give mankind greater hope. Isaac Newton wanted to discover a cure for stopping aging but it proved out to be fruitless. He did leave a huge impact on his discovery of gravity and other phenomenons about the universe. You can never do the thing that the person has already accomplished all over again and claim greatness for it. But to properly be in their shoes, you need to do what they did so that you have the proper knowledge to go about things.
# 6. Invest In What You Love
Care of any type is very important when you are constantly striving for betterment. Gone are the days when warriors were considered legends as war solves nothing and results only in loss. Nowadays legends are people who empower others and show them new horizons they can be on. Elon Musk is one such man who has turned the disappointment of his idols into constructive energy into making progress on his vision. The men he admired most - men of reason and logical thinking disapproved of his plan to send rockets to colonize Mars and thought of it as preposterous. He defied them with his constant endeavors and failed numerous times before finally landing one rocket safely back to base after it’s journey. This has opened up new horizons for mankind and incorporated the prospect of living life in a different environment. All this and more happened because he loved making money and more so freeing it up to remove the chokehold most men who possess a fortune put on the economy. The electric cars vision will shift mankind’s reliance on clean energy. All of this was accomplished because of only one core feeling which was love for mankind and a good life for himself.
# 7. Don’t Make Just Money
Life on earth is simple with money, the sole thing making people go around as it is necessary for continued life and people who have deep pockets also come to be called legends for their great shrewdness and control over money. Building and increasing one’s fortune is one of the most private ways to self-love, and the one who builds an extravagant lifestyle by doing something that improves lives around them is surely a legend. Making just money doesn’t give one the satisfaction of doing anything good for the society and positivity comes only when you see that your actions impact your fellow men in a good way.
# 8. Keep Your Head Above The Ground
Life has a way of making you mad over what you are currently doing as you want to live more than you are living. You may be really good at what you do but still be in the second position pecking order as there is someone ahead of you who people look up to and draw inspiration from. You can either hate that person or learn from them. Hating never benefited anyone, so it’s best that you learn from them as that is the only rational response.In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers while the rest of us would have to settle for something else. You owe it to yourself to be rational at all times as it is the only thing preventing you from negative outcomes. Legacies are not only left by legends they can be left behind by companies as well, and you will share it all the same if you join them instead of rebelling or feeling oppressed.
# 9. The First Victory Is Not Enough
A lot of people come short of being legends when they give up after the first victory and convince themselves that their aim of life is met. This stops them from feeling charged up to feeling comfortable and satisfies their hunger. Whenever any person achieves some success, it breeds a little complacency as the desire to prove himself is not burning fiercely anymore. This can set you back as you stop your advances just after the first victory and don’t reach for more. Legends are people who continually ask more from themselves and don’t stop till they have established their name and reputation.
# 10. Strive To Build Something That Never Finishes
This is something that requires vision and patience. A brand that begins and stays in the market for a long will learn the trick of never going out of business and keep on going for a long time. They can be the kind of legends who through their patience and smartness have operated over decades and not the kind who discover something not discovered before.
We want to know what steps you are taking to be regarded as a legend of your time. Share with us in our comments sections below.
(Image Courtesy: 1. Tiny Buddha, 2. Self Virtue, 3. Auto, 4. Spandan, 5. Posts From The Pasts: Chris Stemp(Featured Image)
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