Want to Be Legendary?

Jay-Z is legendary. This summer, after selling over 100 million records and earning 21 Grammys, he will be the first hip-hop artist to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Evan Spiegel is legendary. At 26-years old, he is now worth twice as much as Oprah after photo-sharing app Snapchat public.

Jimmy the account lead is legendary too. (We all know someone like this, right?) Just three years ago he was an intern, and now he seems to have lapped his peers.

Well, here’s the secret to being legendary: give just a little more.

It seems crazy, but more often than not, it really is a little more that separates you from the pack. Volunteering to stay late at work to finish that important project. Signing up for a class that gives you broader skills or insights. Shadowing a more seasoned person so that you can see what makes them successful. Just a little more.

Jay-Z did that when he sold CDs out of the trunk of his car, created his own label when others wouldn't sign him, and convinced a distribution partner to sell his records.

Evan did that after the flop of Picaboo just a few short years ago at Stanford, pushing through until Snapchat was born.

Even Jimmy gave a little more… diligence, commitment, endless ideas, and willingness to always contribute. Legendary.

Like most professionals, I’ve put in long hours over the years. But it was that extra grunt work that was a little more, that hustle that went above and beyond, that willingness to say yes when others said no that has earned me the choices I can make today. Although at the moment it often felt overwhelming, or unnecessary, or mundane… I’m glad I went through it. They call it earning your stripes. Or putting in your time. But it's really about a little more.

This idea of getting ahead by doing more seems to have faded somewhat in today’s world of instant gratification. Our hyperconnected realities mean most people just don’t have the patience to put in that extra little more. That’s fine… it means the road to legendary is a bit less crowded.

Want to get on the road?

• Identify your end goal. What will your legend be about? What kind of impact do you want to make? Will it make you excited to jump out of bed every morning?

• Map out your path. What will it take to get where you want to go? What skills do you have to learn? What experiences are needed? Take it one step at a time. Get good at one thing and then add another, and another, and another.

• Get going. You’re never going to get there until you start doing. Take a deep breath and jump… take that first step and never look back. (It’s okay to stumble and fail. Just learn and keep moving forward.)

• Find a guide. Or a mentor. A coach. A supporter. Someone who knows a bit more, will share a lot more, and will help you stay on the path.

Just a little more instantly puts you ahead of the curve. You're probably closer to legendary than you think. Thomas Edison once said that “many of life’s failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success [or being legendary] when they gave up.” Are you going to be one of them?