Building a Legacy: How to Be a Better Man, Husband, and Father in Today's Political Climate.

[00:00:00] Legacy is a word that all men tend to think about. It's something that we romanticize, we daydream about. All men eventually weigh this heavy thought of legacy. Now legacy may or may not involve kids. It's doesn't have to, it can. Legacy is about the impact we leave on the world around us. Will people spit when they mention our name in the future?

Kind of thing, right? Or will they remember us with reverence or somewhere in between? If you're interested in leaving a legacy that you can be proud of and stick around, here's the million dollar question. How do men like us reach our full potential, growing to the men we dream of becoming while taking care of our responsibilities, working, living, being good husbands, fathers, and still take care of ourselves?

Well, that's the big question. And in this podcast, we'll help you with those answers and more. My name is Brent and welcome to the Foundable Man Podcast. Now I've contemplated this concept of legacy, probably more than a lot of [00:01:00] people, just because. I was raised as a preacher's kid. I grew up going to a lot of funerals, a lot of deaths, beds and hospitals.

Like I sat around people dying my whole life. I've also listened to people lament about, you know, what they didn't do, what they regretted in their lives. I've heard the love spoken by loved ones, the people doing the eulogies. And people at the graveside all talk about the people they love to have passed on.

Well, kind of made an impact. So early on, I started thinking about what I wanted people to say about me when I was gone. Now, recently I was inspired by a blog post that I read by Joshua Becker. And I'll leave a link to that blog post down in the show notes or description, whatever platform you're on. So you can go check that out.

It's about 35 things. I hope my kids will [00:02:00] say about their dad. Now that's for the perspective of, you know, what will my kids say about me when I'm gone? However, it brought a new perspective for me about as a man, what do I want people to say about me now? I've thought about this, but I think. Josh nailed it when he was describing this.

So I wanted to share a little bit of this with you guys today, by the way, my name is Brent and welcome to the fallible man podcast. You're home for all things, man. Big shout out to fallible nation. That's our long time listeners. And guess what? It's not hard. There's no barred entry guys. Just stick around and Hey, listen regularly and interact with us on social media.

You can find me at the fallible man almost anywhere. And I'm especially active on Instagram and a warm welcome to our first time listeners. There's a lot competing for your attention. We are well aware of that. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for giving us a chance. If you enjoy it, be sure to connect with us on social.

And [00:03:00] if you really get something out of it, you can leave us a review. That'd be great, but go share it with somebody who needs it. That's actually even bigger to me than reviews. So if you get something out of this, be sure and share with it. Now let's get back into it. Now, all of these 35 things boil down to you.

When I talk to people about legacy. I'm not talking about what great buildings will you have accomplished? How do you conquer the known world or something like that? Okay. Who you choose to be and how you live your life. That's legacy because that's what you have control over. Not everything in this world.

Do you have control over, but who you choose to be, how you live your life? That's ultimately it. Now, these are the things you can control and influence. Personal responsibility is a huge thing to me. It's very crucial as far as I'm concerned. And honestly, it's the source of your power. [00:04:00] So your personal responsibility, it all boils down to who you are, because that's who people are looking at, right?

That is your legacy because sure, you can change the world. You could reshape the world like Genghis Kong, Genghis Han, not Kong. Sorry. Your legacy might not be positive, but you know, then like one in every 10 people in the world might be related to you because you raped and pillaged and plundered your way across the world.

Probably not the legacy you're aiming for. It's about who you are on your journey that creates a positive legacy. Not so much what you accomplish. All right. The guy who built the giant buildings in various places, people forget their names. People who matter, remember their lives depending on the legacy they left.

So this is a list. I don't usually do lists, but we're going to, so we're going to punch through it pretty quick because I got 35 things. You absolutely want people to be able [00:05:00] to say the 35 things you actually want people to be able to say about you when you die, because if they can say these 35 things, or at least the majority of 'em, you can be sure that your legacy is secure and you have lived the kind of life that will leave a lasting legacy that actually matters.

Number one, he loved the people closest to him. It was evident in his words. It was evident in his face. It was evident in his actions and the way he lived his life. Number two, he loved his spouse and he served her out of love and respect. Number three, he was honest. Both to us and other people. Number four, he was spiritual.

He valued things that were bigger in this world and kept his eyes open to them because he saw something more. Number six, work hard. [00:06:00] He understood the value of a hard day's work and he wasn't afraid of it. This one's important. Number six, he came home. He worked hard at the job, but he knew the end of the day, It was time to quit and come home.

Number seven, he cared about people more than money. We get lost in money sometimes guys. And we forget the world is about people. Money comes and goes into the weight rate. The government prints it. It's not going to be valuable much longer. Anyway, people are what matter. Number eight, he was a good friend.

He taught the world what it meant to be a good friend in a world where being a friend is not as prized as he used to. Number nine. He helped others. He looked for opportunities to serve, especially those who couldn't help themselves. Number 10, he was generous [00:07:00] with his home, his money, his time, his energy.

Number 11, he made us laugh. It may not have ever been the funniest guy, but it was always good to spend time with him. And he always put a smile on our face. Number 12, he loved to read. He read for work, for pleasure, for self improvement. 13, he loved life. He cherished all the moments of life from the big ones to the little ones.

He was present in them all and took joy in each one. Now I know the list is long guys. And the cool thing is you can like download, like you'll be able to copy these out, just print the transcript because I always include a transcript of the show. And these can be something you can put on your fridge and just aim at for the rest of your life because they're that important.

Number 14, he always had great hope. His hope was new, alive and lasting. [00:08:00] Even in a world where hope wasn't always plentiful, he had a hope, hope for a brighter future, hoping us all hope for the best for us. Number 15, he had our best in mind. I never had to wonder if he was acting in my best intention because he valued me and I knew it.

He always had my best in mind. Number 16, he celebrated the wins of his loved ones. Guys, this is so important. Celebrate the wins of the people you care about in your life. Number seven, he pushed me to improve. He pushed himself really hard, but he demanded the best of out of all of us in his life because he loved us and he cared about us and he wanted to see us thrive.

Number 18, he saw the best in people and sought to learn from them in a world where not everybody's high caliber. One of the things I always admired about my [00:09:00] father was the fact that my dad was a half full kind of guy. He always saw the best in people. Even when they didn't necessarily deserve it. He saw the best in people and kind of let the rest go by.

It was crazy. Like he didn't just let people run over him, but he chose to see and believe the best in people. And it was incredible

number I'm getting lost on my list.

Number 19. He loved his family. He cared for his parents, his siblings, his spouse, his children. And he loved having everyone together. He loved his family and they were important to him. Number 19, 20, we're in 20. See, I told you we're going to crash this list fast. He was always good to his spouse. He loved and provided a healthy model for his family, not only for a spouse's benefit, but for that of his [00:10:00] children.

They saw how they needed to be treated and needed to treat people when it came to a marital relationship. 21, he had a smile every morning, every day provided a wealth of opportunity. And he chose to greet with a smile. Even when he was tired, even when he was worn out, even when he had a rough day, he chose to get up and smile at the world because he had another opportunity.

22 he lived within his means something a lot of us struggle with, including myself. Sometimes. Number 23, he was unselfish. Life was always more about getting about giving more than getting. It was about putting back into people. It was about caring about people. And that's where his focus was. Number 24, he was wise.

Like, you know, he didn't have to be Aristotle or [00:11:00] somebody like you don't have to jump to that level. That'd be cool. But he was wise. He had a healthy grasp on people, on life, on situations and what mattered. Number 25. This one is so important. He was quick to forgive. He knew that he'd been forgiven a lot of times that he'd screwed up a lot and people had a lot of grace for him.

And so he was quick to forgive because people treated him that way. And he wanted to do the same thing. 26. He didn't let culture dictate his beliefs. So important as times change, guys, as life has been crazy. We all know that life is a little, these days, and we don't agree with everything that's going on.

Don't let culture dictate your beliefs. Stand firm on what you believe in, on your solid foundation. Number 27, he could be counted [00:12:00] on all the time. The people who mattered. knew that no matter what he was there for them, he had their back, he supported them and he would come to their aid because they were important to him.

We're 28. He demanded honesty and respect and the way he dealt with people. He was both honest and respectful towards other people and he demanded honor, honesty and respect back. I'm 29. He wanted to know everything he could about the people around his family. Because he was a good person because he was smart, man.

He wanted to know about the people who are influencing the lives of the people around him that mattered. Number 30. We're almost through guys. He knew how to rest. This is something I'm working on in my own life. Learning how and when to rest is really complex, but I want people to be able to say he knew how and when to take rest and refresh the body and soul.[00:13:00]

Because that enables me to give back more, and I hope that enables you to give back more. 31. He dreamed big dreams for himself and for us. Even when we didn't believe in ourselves, he believed in us, the people he cared about. 32. He loved sharing the table with love, laughter, and friendship with the people he cared about.

33. He treated his body well. He knew the importance of keeping his body healthy, not for vain reasons, but to remain effective in this world as long as possible. 34. He valued serving people to make the world a better place and help improve people's lives. Number 5, 35, and we'll see if we can get that number right, 35.

He knew the difference between want and need, which is a dying art in this world. Now, gentlemen, legacy is a word that resonates deeply within all of us. Will people [00:14:00] speak speak our name with reverence or disdain? Today, I've listed 35. I wrestled I didn't know if I should call them characteristics, attributes, traits.

I'm not sure how that list actually goes. But there are 35 things that contribute to a legacy worth remembering because all of them are amazing things about the person you chose to be. Regardless of your goals, these statements will define your legacy. It's about who you are on your journey that creates this lasting positive legacy.

Normally I don't do listicle style shows, but this one's important. So hit that transcript for a complete list and reflect on these qualities. Like I said, you can print them off, put them, uh, on your fridge or next to your bed or whatever. Like I said, I didn't know if I should call them characteristics or traits, but guys, I've been around a lot of death in my life.[00:15:00]

If people can say these things about you at your grave side, then you will have left behind a legacy that you can absolutely embrace and be proud of as a man. You will have lived a life that people will remember with great respect and honor and left a legacy that actually impacted the world. And guys, if you're interested in living your best life, if you want to embrace these.

Legacy comments. You want to live that life and maybe you're not sure where to start. Be sure and check out my website, www. thefoulman. com slash Kaizen and check out our six week hybrid individual and group coaching program. It's an incredible place to start and we'll put you on the right path to becoming the man you want to be and living the life you want to live.

So that legacy will be something that you count [00:16:00] as amazing. Thanks for tuning in to the fable man podcast, your home for all things, man. Until next time, remember your legacy is built day by day through the choices you make and the actions you take. Make him count and be better tomorrow because what you do today.

We'll see on the next one This has been the fallible man podcast your home for everything man Husband and father be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a show head over to www. thefallibleman. com For more content and get your own fallible man gear