Codi’s career began in Canada in the death care sector, with him having spent 20 years as a funeral director and embalmer. He worked his way up in corporate funeral service, serving 25,000 families every year.
Having been surrounded by death on a daily basis, Codi learned a lot about life and legacy and is now a speaker, consultant and author sharing the lessons he learned in that career.
His work now helps us to understand and redesign what legacy means and how we can benefit from its principles, which are taught in his book, released in February of 2020 – Everyday Legacy: Lessons for Living with Purpose, Right Now.
Codi shared with Inner Circle members how to create legacy and how these tactics can be applied to improving patient experience. Here are some key highlights:
What does legacy really mean?
According to Codi, “Legacy in its essence it about purpose and being consciously aware of how you show up in the world.”
Using the context of the death service industry, Codi encourages you to think about the end of your own life.
What stories would be told about the impact you made?
If you were at the end of your life and could rewind the clock, how would you have created more impact?
Warning signs of not living your life with purpose
One of the last things you want to be saying too much at the end of your life is “I wish I had…” and this is why Codi emphasizes the importance of considering the values most important to you that you can constantly look to achieve alignment with.
And it comes from asking one simple question: “How do I want to be remembered?”
Creating legacy as a leader is about showing up powerfully and with impact in your work every single day.
Codi asks that you consider the top 3 adjectives that you want people to use when describing you.
If you want to be a great leader of people in your business, think about what that really means and be aware on a very high level.
Giving yourself permission to fail, fall and learn
It’s likely that your values may be difficult to act upon depending on circumstances.
In order to be of service, we have to fill our own cup. Codi calls this being “self-ful”. What overflows is for everyone else.
Find ways to keep yourself in alignment, execute balance and carve out the time for yourself first and forgive yourself for not being perfect.
Dealing with the giant to-do list
Phil suggests creating a “Done it list”, where you take this chapter of your life and write a list of all the things you’ve successfully been able to do to adapt, change and evolve.
A win 6 months ago looks very different today – if you used to read 10 books a month, a win today may only be half a book, based on your new environment and routine.
Comparison – silencing that voice of never doing enough
Codi describes ‘imposter syndrome’ as being the voice of your ego. We all know objectively that comparison isn’t useful to us – but external factors such as social media make us question ourselves.
Your metric of measurement of success has to change and Codi suggests that you take a more objective view on your current situation:
- What is it that I’ve done that is successful?
- Does it work for me?
- Does it work for my clientele?
- Does it sustain my passion in this business?
- Am I happy?
Creating a reputation to be proud of
Codi suggests that a reputation and legacy in the hearing care industry is about a genuine desire to enhance the profession as a whole, not just within your own practice.
This means being less focused on the sale and more focused on the new stories you have the opportunity to create that also represent the impact you want to make on the world.
Codi says that in order to continually enhance your reputation, you ask yourself the following questions from the sale and way beyond:
“What am I doing to collect and share these stories?”
Talking to Yourself
Codi reminds us to be of service to yourself as opposed to sabotage.
Having more effective conversations with yourself is difficult in the beginning as you learn to change the language you use from “Who are you to…?” or “What makes you think that you can achieve…?” to more productive language.
You have to catch that voice and shut it down. Visualize it as if it’s a second personality and tell it to “shut up!” and then replace those conversations with more positivity.
When you lose sight of your purpose
When you’re feeling stuck in your business, it’s important to find time to focus on getting back to your purpose and values.
At this point Codi advises that you tap into resources, especially your community. Consider now the 5 people you turn to most.
- Do they uplift you?
- Do they make you feel alive in the work you do?
- Do they make you feel progressive?
- Do they challenge you?
- Do they provide you with a framework of reference that constantly wants you to excel?
“Your business is a vehicle to help you do all the things you want to do with your life.”
Living the above quote allows you to act with more purpose. Consider these two questions as action points from this interview:
- Do you have some things you want to achieve for you between now and the end of the year?
- Do you have some things that you want to achieve next year that you can use your business to enable them to happen?
Purpose can be found in whether actions will take you towards what you want to achieve.
These are just some of the key notes from a 90-minute interview with Codi Shewan. The full interview is only available to “Inner Circle” members, but you can view the highlights below.