Hi Friend
This was one of those weeks that had a wide variety of activities going in several directions. We’re working on a new venture that should be fun. The weather has been so warm I rode my bike and ran for 9 miles. I got to go to the Wisconsin Dells to speak at a killer event. Thankfully I got a new squirrel picnic table back up.
I finally finished reading the LEGO book about the company’s origin and entire story up until 2023. It’s a 90-year history of the company. The fifth generation of the Ole Kirk Christiansen family is going strong and still the owner of LEGO. It moved me on several levels.
FIVE GENERATIONS! That amazes me. To get the macro-perspective on how persistence, creativity, ingenuity, risk-taking and continuous innovation plays out is shocking! There is no way possible Ole Kirk could perceive how his pursuit of excellence with making wooden toys would impact his family, his community and oh, the world.
I wrestle with that. I’m not trying to make any product, but I would like to create a legacy for my family and community (and world) that transcends my time on earth. Yet, there isn’t a single day I think “This decision, this action, this response is going to reverberate for 75 years or more.” NEVER. And maybe we’re not supposed to know?
MACRO
How do we live in the macro of influence? You and I are so close to our own lives, decisions and reality it’s incredibly difficult to step back and assess accordingly. If you have children, you get a sense of this. We can watch their lives evolve and grow, recognizing the small decisions of character that matter and also, that so much of life is just a one-off.
Of course, as a parent, we are so vested in the present with them day-by-day, hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute, that we lose sight of OUR impact on them, in context of the big picture. As the years and decades pass by, we discover and confirm what our elders told us: Consistency of values is what’s most important and what’s transferred.
Our little decisions around character have the biggest impact. ALWAYS.
NOW
What I’m also very aware of from reading the book, is that Ole Kirk was not thinking about future generations AT ALL. He was doing everything he could to survive and pursue the dream in his heart. That was his entire motivation. Maybe our fascination with legacy is misguided. Maybe my aim shouldn’t be to impact future generations, but to simply focus on the here and now fulfilling my calling.
Legacy is a fruit. What if changing the world and making a dent in the universe were unattainable aspirations and only occurred by happenstance when we generously and persistently offered our gifts and service to humanity in the now? It feels more aligned with truth. And how great to be able to say, “I changed the world by accident, I was only trying to serve my community.”
Instigating Ideas…
1. What’s something from your life today that you would want to remain for five generations?
2. What characteristics do you possess that has been passed down to you?
3. Encourage a parent! (No really… do this one, please.)
4. Tell someone how you’re being persistent with something that matters to you today.
Last night I watched the Lego Movie again. I LOVE THAT MOVIE. When it first came out, I tormented my kids with singing the “Everything is Awesome” song. It’s one of the most powerful movies ever made, for several reasons. It embodies all the best themes. However, after reading the book, I realize it’s also fundamentally their mission and primary value displayed via a movie. The unexpected twist at the end feels even more impactful, knowing their heart.
PLAY
That’s the trick, isn’t it? Being deeply committed to what’s most important to us. It barely matters what that thing is, as long as we’re sold on its value and meaningfulness. Ole Kirk was originally harassed by his peers when he shifted from carpentry to making wooden toys for kids.
That’s what’s so cool. It’s not like he started with “Kids need to play” and directed his life that way. He used his skills, abilities and gifts and over time his value crystalized. He learned, explored and experimented to find his way to a value that has expanded way beyond his life and scope of imagination. Awesome!
I hope this week you assess the macro and micro, recognizing the consistent values you’re persisting in. It may or may not change the world, but it does matter to the current community around you (and to your kids). You are the Special One.