I want to leave something behind. A blueprint. A work ethic. Something that my great-grandkids and their kids and their kids can see: This is where it started. Lineage. Intergenerational wealth. Things that are here forever. All that.
Interpretation
This quote expresses the desire to create a lasting legacy for future generations through hard work and values.
Michael B. Jordan emphasizes the importance of building a legacy that can be passed down through generations. He believes in establishing foundational principles, such as a strong work ethic and a clear path for future descendants to follow. This lineage of values and achievements not only serves as a source of pride but also contributes to lasting intergenerational wealth, ensuring that the efforts of one generation benefit those that come after.
In practice
During a graduation speech, one could use this quote to inspire students to think about their future impact.
You start at a young age, going on auditions, and you think you did a good job and expect to get that role, and you don't, and it's a letdown, a disappointment. So you tell yourself to just do the work and disconnect, because you have no control over the outcome.
I came to the realization that I can also satisfy my creative side by giving somebody else a chance. I don't have to be in front of the camera for every project.
I think history repeats itself. There's a constant conversation between the oppressed and the oppressor. No matter what your field is, whether it's gender equality, the Time's Up movement, or diversity casting, it's always going to be a back-and-forth battle.
Champions are pioneers, and pioneers get shot at. The companies that get the most from champions, therefore, are those that have rich support network so their pioneers will flourish. This point is so important it's hard to overstress. No support systems, no champions. No champions, no innovations.
The world does not pay men for that which they “know”. It pays them for what they do, or induce others to do.
The blaze of reputation cannot be blown out, but it often dies in the socket; a very few names may be considered as perpetual lamps that shine unconsumed.
An open-minded and diverse population that readily shares information, encourages experimentation, accepts failure and dispenses with formality and hierarchy is what makes Silicon Valley the successful hub that it is.
Look, I have no qualms about having played basketball. The game has done so much for me. Look at the places I've been, for one thing.
Hard work isn't enough. And more work is never the real answer. The sort of grit you need to scale a business is less reliant on brute force. It's actually one part determination, one part ingenuity, and one part laziness.
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