What Will Your Student/Athletes Say About You? What Is Your Legacy?

During our 2 week professional development leading into the new school year, we had an inspirational speaker come in to talk to us about maintaining our well-being as teachers and living 'our best life' so that we are able to give our students and athletes our A-game every day.  Early in his lecture, he brought up this scenario:

"Imagine, 20-30 years from now, a few of your former students or former athletes are sitting around at a bar, or a coffee shop, or a birthday party.  Do they even remember you?  Do they mention you?  And if you are brought up in conversation, what would you want them to say about you and their time with you?"

As speaker Alex Saenz then told us that morning, every day you are on stage for your legacy.  We are living, every day, our legacy.  What legacy are you living?  What legacy are you leaving to the one's you serve and lead?

He also stated that we all build a reputation and that your students and your peers notice everything you do.  John Wooden famously stated, 'be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.'  But it’s also important to be concerned with your reputation because that is symbolic of the work you put in, how you serve others, the relationship you do or don't build with the people around you, and the legacy you are leaving behind.

So as you go into this school year, or into a new week, or even a new day, think about what you want your legacy to be.  One day, the team’s record will be forgotten, stats will be lost and nobody will remember what they got on that state test.  But will they remember you ... their teacher and their coach?  Will you have made enough of an impact in their life?  And if you are lucky enough to be remembered, what will they say about you?

Every day you are on stage for your legacy.  We are living, every day, our legacy.