What kind of legacy are you building online?

October 24, 2013 Kevin DeShazo Social Media Education Tags: , , 0 Comments

Twitter isn’t yet 8 years old (founded March 2006). Facebook is nearing it’s 10th birthday in February.

YouTube is almost 9.

Instagram just turned 3 this month.

It’s pretty incredible how young and new social media is, yet how much of an impact it has had on our world. What that also means is that, for many of us, we are the beginning of our family tree when it comes to the digital age. For student-athletes, we often talk about what kind of identity they are building online. What type of first impression they are creating.

While social media is very much about today, it’s also about tomorrow. Not only establishing behaviors that give you an opportunity to succeed in the long term, but setting a standard that others can be proud of and follow. A legacy to pass on.

Growing up, I’ve heard more stories than I can count from my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles about their life growing up. From trouble they got into, successes they’ve had, humorous stories and more. All passed down from word of mouth. 10-20 years from now, our kids will have instant access to that information about us. They’ll Google us (or whatever search platform is around). What will they find?

Will they find arguments, negativity, inappropriate behavior and personal attacks? Or will they find us encouraging others, following passions, engaging in meaningful conversations? Will they find something boring and a waste of time or will they find something interesting?

When using social media, student-athletes must think about the long-term impact, about the standard and example they are setting. They are setting the tone for future generations. In the words of Maximus Meridius, “What we do in life, echoes in eternity.”

What kind of legacy are you building online?

Fieldhouse Media is a firm dedicated to helping student-athletes and coaches use social media in a positive, appropriate way through education and monitoring. To find out more about us or to join the over 70 schools utilizing our services for their athletic department, contact us today.

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