You can see it now. They will definitely retire your jersey and hoist up on the wall of the gym. Or you will be recorded as one the greatest in the record books. Or even better, forever immortalized with a statue in front of the venue to greet visitors for years to come. After all of the championships and titles you will win, that’s the least they could do. But ask yourself, what will you do if none of that happens?
An athlete’s legacy is often built on what they’ve done in competition. It is how others choose to recognize you. And that is a very dangerous barometer to live by.
You enter the record books. But of course, others will eventually overcome that and replace your entry line. You may win more championships and more rings. But as time goes on, there will be other champions along the way. And of course, you could be the most highly touted athlete in your sport, set on the course of greatness, only to have a global event forever alter the course of your athletic journey. If you can’t depend on the world declaring your legacy, what is it about you that you want to live on?
Of course, the answer begins in expanding your vision of yourself beyond your athletic identity. It requires you determining who you are without your sport so that you can more confidently pursue it. It is knowing that people like you as more than just an athlete (and if they don’t, it is time to remove them from the circle). Then it is in how you choose to play the game, how you treat other players, how you treat fans, and coaches. Its in how the public sees you respond to wins and losses. It’s not necessarily in becoming bigger than the game, but knowing that you as an individual are not the game.
Your legacy is what you design it to be. Make it a good one.
The Sideline Fix 
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