Old Notes

Thanks, Dr. Shell, for being a part of my Personal Legacy Team

In business, they are long-tenured employees who played a crucial role in building a company from its early days, often known for their deep loyalty, extensive historical knowledge, and close ties to the founders. They are called The Legacy Team. But they don’t exist only in business!  Who in your life do you know that has your best interests at heart, possesses knowledge you lack, and with whom you share a close bond? That person may be on your Personal Legacy Team!  

If I heard it once, I heard it a dozen times, “It’s another day to excel! There are acres of diamonds waiting to be mined. It’s time for you boys to go get yours."  Our father, Harry, shared those words with my brothers and me on many mornings as we got ready for school. He was probably the most influential person in my life; however, he was just one of many people whose significant influence shaped me. I am grateful to all of them for guiding me along the path that has allowed me to live and enjoy the many blessings of my current life. I was reminded of my Personal Legacy Team’s existence while going through some old files from graduate classes I took at Penn. Within them, I found an exercise developed by Dr. Richard Shell, a professor and teacher of Wharton’s popular course titled “Success: What Defines It and How to Achieve It.” I wanted to share it with you.  

The Legacy Exercise is thousands of years old and is based on the private diary of the ancient Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.  Originally titled To Myself, it was a journal he kept between 170 and 180 A.D. while he fought against barbarian tribes along the northern borders of the Roman Empire.  After the fall of Rome, the diary was lost for more than 1,000 years but was rediscovered and published in Zurich in 1558. It is now known as The Meditations, a leadership manual that has graced the desks of George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, General James Mattis, Admiral Richard Stockton, and many others.   

On the day Marcus Aurelius sat down in his tent to make his first notes about what was important in his life and how best to achieve success, he began by listing what he had learned from the people who cared most about him. "From my grandfather Verus, I learned good morals and the government of my temper.” He went on to thank his biological father (who died when he was three) for leaving a reputation for “modesty and manly character,” and his adoptive father for teaching him “mildness of temper,” “resisting vanity for public honors,” and “a love of labor and perseverance.” From his mother, he took his taste for “simplicity in my way of living, far removed from the habits of the rich.”  

To get us started, Dr. Shell suggested we begin with family and then consider others who contributed to our growth.  He also recommended starting with four areas that we could add later.

My Emotional Well-Being: Who helped me learn

__________ How to love and be loved

__________ The importance of family

__________ The love of learning

__________ How to relax or have fun

__________ The value of community

__________ Maintaining my physical health

__________ Learning to be aware of my own and others’ feelings

Achievement: Who helped me understand

__________ The importance of hard work

__________ How to think clearly and carefully

__________ How to stay positive in the face of obstacles

__________ How to take responsibility for my actions

__________ How to set and reach challenging goals

__________ The importance of careful planning

__________ How to deal with or envision change

Dealing with Other People: Who demonstrated

__________ How to forgive or seek forgiveness

__________ How to listen

__________ The importance of valuing and praising others

__________ How to lead

__________ Being an effective member of a team

__________ How to assert myself effectively

__________ How to be tactful

My Spiritual Life: Who encouraged me to discover

__________ The importance of faith in a higher power

__________ A love of art, music, or literature

__________ The importance of living a moral life

__________ The value of imagination

__________ How to pray or meditate

__________ The role of organized religion in my life

__________ An appreciation of the natural world

We are the sum of our life experiences.  Review your answers, and the members of your Personal Legacy Team will become evident.  Now give them a call and say thanks!  Have a great week, and remember to  

Embrace the Challenge.