LEGACY

 

“It is time for me to create a new legacy”

“If tomorrow wasn’t promised, what would you give for today?”-Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis, the legendary linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, announced his retirement this week. As a native of Baltimore, and a HUGE fan of the Baltimore Ravens, this news is bittersweet- I am always happy when an athlete can make a decision to leave the sport under their own power, but to realize that #52 will NOT be coming out of that tunnel next season was a saddening thought. To the city of Baltimore, Ray Lewis is MORE than just a football player; he is active in our community, and a great motivator, and as you will see in the following clips, not just to his NFL brethren, but to everyone.

Here he speaks to Miami Hurricanes…

Motivating Stanford Men’s Basketball team…

…and him talking with the people of Baltimore, after the unveiling of “Ray Lewis Way”

When I think of legacy, I think about people like Ray Lewis, a great leader who combined his character/integrity with his talent. It is rare to see an individual posses BOTH. Michael Jordan had great TALENT, but he wasn’t the type of teammate that could make everyone greater (Kobe Bryant, who idolizes Jordan, even mimics his attitude towards his teammates). Even in his controversial Hall of Fame speech, Jordan rips some of the people he interacted with throughout his career. Lance Armstrong, who won 7 Tour de France titles before being stripped of them due to doping, repeatedly denied the drug use, created LIVESTRONG, and had people backing him in his efforts despite evidence that investigators built against him(even I had a LIVESTRONG wristband). Now, months later after being stripped of his titles,and publicly denying any use of drugs,  it looks as if he is going to confess.

Legacies are not just reserved for people who are great athletes; everyone can create a legacy (whether positive or negative). My son is my legacy; the things I teach him will be the blueprint for how he looks at the world, which he can bestow onto his children. Legacies aren’t just something that we can wish for; you have to work at the legacy you want to create. Author John C. Maxwell believes that you must create a list that asks the question “What must you change in the way you conduct yourself so that you live that legacy? Your list may include behavioral changes, character development, education, working methods, relationship-building style and so on. Only by changing the way you live will you be able to create the legacy you want to leave.”

I thank Ray Lewis for the 17 years he has spent as a Baltimore Raven.

With these things in mind, what will be YOUR legacy?

As always, thanks for reading,

Garry

P.S.  LEAVE.YOUR.MARK.

“Tebowing” Your Life!

Hello Folks! Happy New Year and well wishes into the New Year! Let me start by saying THANK YOU! Last year, my blog was viewed 5,000 times! To have people take time out of their busy schedule and read something I wrote has been truly an honor.  This is the first blog of the new year, so if you have been a fan of my blog, I apologize for not writing in a while- it has been hectic at times. If you are a new reader, please check out my other posts.

“Tebow mania” has been sweeping the nation! For those who have either been living under a rock, or recently released from a maximum penitentiary setting, Tim Tebow is currently playing for the Denver Broncos, and has received a lot of criticism from sports analyst, other NFL players, and just about everyone who wasn’t either a fan of his when he played for Florida, or is a current resident of Denver. Tebow has been very open about his faith, thanking his “Lord & Savior” when interviewed, and in college wearing bible verses on his anti-glare patches. Tim is most identified with what is called “Tebowing”- a celebration of sorts, in which he puts one knee on the grounds, and puts the ball of his fist in his head in prayer- imagine Rodin’s “The Thinker”. This celebration has been copied, and done in millions of places, from bars, to weddings, and even in African tribes (www.tebowing.com is the best place to check out the craze).

Tebow came into the 2011 NFL season, and through thrilling 4^th quarter dramatics (not just by himself, as he will state in any interview), the Broncos are now in the playoffs (already beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime), and have a chance this Sunday to further their Superbowl chances.

When I look at what Tebow has accomplished, I realize that there are a couple of things that attributed to his success, which we all can easily attribute to life:

1. Believing in YOU: Regardless of what was said about him, Tebow has believed in himself. It is very easy for people to turn on you when it’s popular to do so. Maintaining optimism is paramount to believing in your talents and abilities.  People must have forgotten that Tebow has won a Heisman trophy, led Florida to a 13-1 record and its second national championship in three years, and was named the offensive MVP of the national championship game.

MESSAGE: “Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.”-Henry Ford

 2. Avoiding “distractors”: A “distractor” is defined as “a person or thing that distracts the attention.” Tebow has stated that he is a virgin and that he is saving himself for marriage……….*pausing after realizing that he is in the NFL and he is a virgin*. While most of us probably think that this is craziness, think about how much easier your life would be if you avoided distractors, and focused on the task at hand. I know of a local rap artist that wants to more exposure. Instead of working on his craft, and promoting, he focused his attention on a local radio station programmer, slandering his name, and outright being disrespectful. Now, the radio station has decided to welcome local artists, and guess who will be one of the panelists? That EXACT programmer! Had the rap artist focused on his talents, he would probably be heard. Now, I wish him good luck.

MESSAGE: “You can always find a distraction if you’re looking for one.”- Tom Kite

3. Being Humble: It would have been easy for Tim to now shout from the mountaintops “LOOK AT ME NOW HATERS”!! But instead, he hasn’t made a single negative comment towards other players, or the media. Instead, he thanks his teammates, his organization (whose also often sly, backhanded compliments towards him), and the fans. If we often took time and not became so self-absorbed, we’d see how important this is. When Drew Brees broke Dan Marino’s record for most yards passing in a season, he thanked everyone, right down to the equipment managers. Even in this blog, it’s not only me who gets this out to you; my wife often edits them, I talk with some of my friends about topics prior to writing, and social media lets me know how people like/dislike like them. Often a “Do It Yourself project” needs a lot of people. (reread that)

MESSAGE: “Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.”– John Wooden

While critics have Tim Tebow and the Broncos being defeated tonight at 8:00 p.m., isn’t he already a winner? You can be one too.

As always, thanks for reading.

I Tebow for the RAVENS!!!