19 Apr 2021 · 9 min
Thomas Anglero examines why A-Rod and Lance Armstrong lost their legacies despite their achievements. He argues integrity matters more than fame, and that real success comes from serving your family and community, not chasing notoriety.
Welcome to the Soul of Innovation podcast. I am Thomas Anglero. Let me ask you, are you willing to work hard your entire life? Are you willing to do everything right? Are you willing to push and give extra hours and give extra energy and be away from your loved ones and all that? And do everything right, and at the end of the day, no one even knows you? Are you willing to do that? Let me tell you, let me explain to you. I saw this Netflix movie, and it was all about how in Major League Baseball, the legend himself, A-Rod, who plays for the New York Yankees, who's now retired, He is the legend. He's the highest-paid baseball player ever to play baseball. During the course of his baseball career, he made $562 million. That's insane. And he did it all by steroid use. Denial, denial, denial. I never did that. I never took it. And the whole documentary was by his doctor who provided with him from day one. And he cheated, but he's the legend. I mean, when everybody talks baseball, they go, "A-Rod, oh my God, A-Rod," right? Then I thought about cycling, and I thought about Lance Armstrong. As we all now know, all 7 of his Tour de France victories, he cheated. Then I thought about business, and I thought about, okay, what role models, who are the famous people there? And I thought about, okay, Microsoft, Bill Gates. How many books have been written about how Bill Gates has cheated cheated his competition, has gone behind his competition's back, how he's destroyed people to build up Microsoft. He cheated. And then I reflected, you have WorldCom, that leader cheated. So many people who we idolize, they cheat their way up, but yet everybody idolizes them even to today. If you don't do your homework, you think this person is great, but if you do your homework, you realize, my God, how horrible a person. They cheated. They're a horrible person because like you, you're not cheating, are you? You put in the time, you're doing everything right. You're not breaking the rules, you're not violating anybody's rights. You're sticking up for people. You're putting in the time. What does that cost to you? Is it okay for you at the end of the day, at the end of your career, that nobody puts you in a Hall of Fame, that nobody writes books about you. I think it's worth it. What is the cost of your dignity? What is the cost of you knowing that when you go to bed at night that you've done everything right? I think it's worth it. The fact that you can look your kids in the face and know that you've never hurt anyone, that not one single child on this planet Earth is going to bed hungry because of you. Not one single child on this planet is going to bed crying because of you. It's a beautiful thing and it's worth it. I think it's completely bullshit that we idolize, that the media puts in front of us so many people who are horrible. They're famous, they're wealthy, and they're despicable. Look at the former US president. Look at the current US president. Matter of fact, pretty much look at all our US presidents. Pretty disgusting. Look at the situation in England over there with the monarchy. Matter of fact, why don't you go look at your current boss or your former boss. It's not far from home you find despicable, disgusting people. And I'm telling you right now, at the end of the day, at the end of your career, at the end of this season if you're a coach, no one may write a book about you, no one may invite you to a Hall of Fame, nobody might even call you. Nothing may happen. But as long as you are in the Hall of Fame in the minds, in the eyes of your family and kids, that is all that matters. Do you hear me? Follow that right path. Do what you know instinctively is right to do. Do to say. Stand up for the little people. Take the blame when someone's not mature enough to take it themselves so they can see what it seems to— what it is to be— to be a mature adult. Tell someone in a moment of your insecurity, "I don't know, can you help me?" All these steps and you are and you will be the most famous person ever. And that could be just to you. But you know what? That's enough. Isn't that it? That's, that's enough. That's beautiful. I want to make you feel comfortable that the price that you're paying, that the effort that you're giving, that the focus that you have, that the love and compassion that you feel, that no one is noticing with all the effort that you're giving, it is worth it. It is worth it. Because all that matters is how you feel about you. Not if your name's on a newspaper or something. It's how your name feels when you hear someone else says it. And they say it with a distinguished voice, a voice of admiration. When you say your own name and you go, "Mm-hmm, it was worth it." Go forth and spread beauty and light. And if society doesn't spread your name, So what? It's worth it. It's who you are when you lay down at night and how you feel about yourself. That's the legend game. That's how you become a legend. What you feel about you, the values you set for you. That's how legends are made. That's the only thing you should focus on. I love you. I truly, truly believe in you. You'll never alone. Do you hear me? You're not alone. And you're amazing. Stick to the path that you know is you. Stick to those moments that define you, that you feel, this is me. So what? Nobody's going to see this. So no one sees me. Me picking up this piece of garbage out here in the middle of the woods, picking up this can out of the stream of water. No one's ever going to see that, but you know it's the right thing to do. You know that makes a difference. That's legendary. That's all that matters. You and how you feel about you, how you think about you, is who you are. And you are a legend. I am Thomas Anglero, and I idolize you. Take care of yourself. Be good to yourself. You're amazing. Until next time.
Thank you for listening to that episode. If you want to contact me, you can contact me on my website at anglero.com, and you can also subscribe to the newsletter, or you can find me anywhere on social media with Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter. Thank you so much, and I hope to hear from you very soon.
