It’s okay to admit it.
You’ve thought about your legacy at some point. You’ve thought about what others will say about you long after you’re gone.
It’s normal to have thoughts like these.
Many of the inventions we enjoy today are due to people who had those same thoughts. Those creators wanted to be remembered for the rest of time.
So how can you make your mark on the world? What can you do right now to bring a smile to someone’s face at only the thought of you?
One person showed me a simple way to do just that.
A Tale of Two Teammates
Back in my basketball days, I practiced at this special training program outside of school.
I was used to being a top player in any gym back then. But standing out at this place was impossible.
Many players there went on to Division 1 programs in college. And a few of them even played professionally later on.
Compared to everyone else in that gym, I was decent at best. I improved dramatically during my time there, but I didn’t have a chance of catching up to those guys.
I had a weak mindset back then. And the fact that I was on the floor with players whose very presence made me feel inadequate was scary.
But anyway, I met two teammates there who I remember for two very different reasons.
Brad
The first was Brad.
Brad was a gym rat. He was always there trying to improve and I respected that. But the sad part was, he was one of the most annoying guys to play with.
Think Kobe Bryant—and not the one late in his career who people actually liked. I’m talking about the young Kobe who, while still great, wasn’t exactly the best teammate.
Brad was just like that.
The biggest memory I have of him was when we would run scrimmages at the end of practices. I would get the ball with a chance to take a wide open shot, and right when I squared up to take it, I would hear ol’ reliable screaming at me not to shoot.
I missed every one of those shots without fail, and Brad usually threw in a sly remark under his breath afterwards.
Now I didn’t have the strength back then to speak up about it. I mean, who was I to stand up to someone so much better than me? But even though I kept quiet, I hated playing with the guy. I always doubted myself when we were together.
I made hundreds of shots every practice just like he did. I had earned the right to take an open one. But Brad’s words caused me to miss more of them than a lack of skill ever did.
Scott
The other guy was Scott.
Scott always smiled and joked on the court. The game came so easy to him. I never got the sense that he was trying even though he lit up the scoreboard every game.
He couldn’t have been taller than 5’10” but he dunked the ball with ease. I saw him do everything from alley-oops to tomahawks on the regular.
He was a great high school player and he won one of the highest basketball awards in the state.
But even with all his accolades, I still felt like I was part of his team when we played. Yeah I had days where I only made mistakes, but he never criticized me for it. He focused on my strengths instead of my weaknesses. And he got mad at me if I didn’t shoot the ball.
Now I don’t want to make him sound perfect—after all I barely knew him off the court—but Scott’s words always inspired me to do better.
I didn’t just play my best for my own benefit anymore. I wanted to do better because I didn’t want to let Scott down.
He helped a middle-of-the-road guy like me even though he was a top player in that gym. And that was something I was always thankful for.
What’s The Difference?
So what was the difference between Brad and Scott?
Encouragement.
Both of them were great players.
Brad had the edge in tangible value due to his height at 6’6″. But when you looked at the whole package, Scott was the more valuable player.
Scott didn’t just dominate the game, he had the rare ability to get more out of his teammates. He had an attitude that Brad’s couldn’t compete with.
And when I look back on the past, I realize that everyone I view in a good light had that same quality. They encouraged others and made them greater than what they would have ever been on their own.
If you want others to view you as one of those people, you have to encourage them instead of always criticizing. You have to build others up and not tear them down.
No it won’t be easy at first. It’s much easier to destroy than it is to build. It’s easier to find faults in a person than to notice their good qualities. That’s why most people focus on themselves.
It’s hard to trust others when they don’t work like you do. And why should you care about others when the goal means more to you, right?
But do it anyway.
People will surprise you when they know have someone in their corner.
It will surprise you when your slumping teammate drains a few threes after telling him to let it fly. It will surprise you when the slacking coworker writes a great report after telling him what he can do.
Be the person who’s a catalyst for all that stuff.
Do that, and people will remember you. But by then you won’t even care. You’ll want everyone to be at their best instead of only worrying about yourself.
How Will You Live On?
So what happened to Brad and Scott?
Brad played in college for a few years. Then he played professionally for a while later. I don’t know much beyond that though, and I can’t say I really want to.
And Scott?
It still hurts to say this, but Scott lost his life while he was in college.
His passing was tough news for many people to hear. I know it shook me for a while.
But not much later, all the good memories from playing with Scott came to mind. I remembered his attitude and his ability to encourage myself and others. And I thought about how someone so good at what he did built up a mediocre player like me.
And even though it’s been a while since he passed, his memory still lives on through me and all the other people who had the pleasure of knowing him.
That’s the power of encouragement.
Always build others up when you have the chance. If you do that, you’ll be doing more than helping a person in need.
You’ll be leaving a legacy.
-Drew
Leave a Reply