THE LEGACY MYTH: WHAT THE OLYMPIANS KNEW THAT YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NEED TO LEARN
Written by Mark Shaffer
Before Socrates brought philosophy down from heaven, before the pre-Socratics even started wondering about the cosmos, humans told stories. And one of the oldest—and most important—is the combat myth.
You see it everywhere in ancient mythology:
Marduk vs. Tiamat
Yahweh vs. Leviathan
Zeus vs. Kronos
Same pattern:
A cruel, oppressive sky god is overthrown by a younger, storm-wielding hero who creates a new order of life, justice, and legacy.
And here’s the twist: it’s not just about the gods.
It’s about you.
This old story is a gift for modern professionals who want to serve well, build something lasting, and leave a legacy that time can’t swallow.
Let’s break it down.
Kronos: The God of Time… and Anxiety
In the Greek version of the combat myth, Kronos (a Titan, associated with time) has children with Rhea—Zeus, Hera, Hades, Poseidon—you’ve heard of them. But after learning that one of them will overthrow him, he begins swallowing them. One by one. Babies. Gulp. (Ancient myths didn’t play.)
Rhea, desperate, hides baby Zeus and gives Kronos a rock wrapped in cloth. Kronos eats the rock. Zeus survives, grows up, and eventually forces Kronos to puke up his siblings. (Therapy, anyone?)
Together with his divine siblings and weapons gifted from the freed Cyclopes—lightning bolt, trident, invisibility helm—they defeat the Titans and establish a new cosmic order.
And what comes out of that new order?
Stability. Justice. Culture. Cities. Legacy.
What It Means: Time Swallows Meaning—Unless You Fight Back
Kronos represents the relentless pressure of time—especially for professionals. The to-do lists. The kids. The emails. The student loans. The invisible ROI running in the background of every decision.
Time devours our energy, our attention, our plans… even our meaning.
Unless we fight back with something more powerful: philosophy, intention, and legacy.
Zeus’ victory over Kronos is the moment where order replaces chaos. Where a new generation doesn’t just survive—they build something better. That’s your chance, too.
And if I could give one gift to every young professional?
It wouldn’t be money, clients, or job security.
It would be legacy—a life that keeps giving, even when your career is over.
4 Gifts of the Olympians: What You Can Build with Legacy Thinking
These four legacy gifts are available to anyone who’s willing to think, speak, and act differently.
1. Generational Stability—At Home First, Then Work
The choices you make each day shape the world your family and your team inherit. Stability doesn’t just happen—it’s built on habits, decisions, values, and systems. You get there by asking better questions, setting clear goals, and anchoring everything in virtue.
2. Kids and Colleagues Who Launch Because of You
The truest form of legacy? When your children—or your team—become confident, courageous people who can think and lead because of how you lived. They don’t just benefit from your work. They’re formed by it.
3. A Family That Defies “Chronos Culture”
Western life moves fast. Scroll culture. Hustle culture. Burnout culture. But your family can be different—like a new city built by the gods. You can create rhythm, meaning, and health instead of being pulled under by the tide.
4. A Professional Ecosystem That Elevates Everyone
You can transform the culture around you: your office, your practice, your partnerships. When you lead with purpose, kindness, and clarity, you change the atmosphere. You make others better—and remove what drags them down. You become, in short, a modern-day Olympian.
Test Case: Eliza the Dentist
Eliza finishes dental school and lands a great job. Finally: income. But with income comes pressure. Loan repayment. Client stress. Family demands. The ROI of her life is under constant review, and she feels stretched thin.
She can’t win fast enough. She can’t rest long enough. She’s overwhelmed.
Sound familiar?
The answer isn’t more hustle. It’s not even better checklists. The answer is a philosophy of the good life: a clear, ancient framework for
thinking wisely
acting intentionally
building systems that outlast you
When Eliza learns to think like a philosopher, everything shifts. She begins asking better questions—not just about her business, but about her values, her time, and her kids.
She stops trying to escape time, and starts building a life beyond time—one that lives in her family, her work, and her legacy.
Questions to Ask: Your Professional Legacy
Do I have clear goals for my business—like I did when I became a pro?
Do my employees grow as humans because they work with me?
Is there a culture in my office, or just chaos?
Am I still having fun?
Do I have principles instead of just platitudes?
Am I growing as a person, not just a professional?
Or… have I stalled?
Questions to Ask: Your Family Legacy
Do I know what I want for my family—and why?
Am I clear on the virtues I want to embody as a partner or parent?
Are we carving out a different kind of life from the culture around us?
Are my kids becoming more alive because they’re mine?
When’s our next trip? Our next slow weekend?
Am I building a family culture that laughs, loves, and learns?
Final Word
The fight between Kronos and Zeus is ancient—but it’s yours, too.
Kronos devours time, meaning, and soul.
Zeus builds a life that lasts.
That’s the combat myth. That’s the legacy you’re invited to forge.
Learn to think clearly.
Act with intention.
Build something that lasts.
Because your philosophy is your life.
And your life is your philosophy.
Let’s build something timeless,
Mark Shaffer
Founder, Philosopher Kings