When we speak or think about greatness, it is one of those things that many feel is reserved for the elite, the talented, the powerful or the uniquely different, which is simply not true.
In essence I understand that train of thought, as only a few people may experience greatness or at least “publicly perceived greatness”. But the reality is “greatness” is only experienced by the few simply because it is only the few who are prepared to pay the high price of becoming great.

When we think of greatness who comes to mind? Muhammad Ali? Martin Luther King Jr? Gandhi? Steve Jobs? Pele? Nelson Mandela? Mother Theresa, Winston Churchill? Abraham Lincoln? Mary the Mother of Jesus? Oprah? Beethoven? Helen Keller? Or Marie Curie just to name a few. This list is not exhaustive and lists like this would always cause contention as to attribute such accolades would be down to personal preference as greatness is highly debatable. However, I believe greatness is within all of us its just that many of us settle for less.

As I compiled the names of those above I noticed the wide expanse of their expertise or areas of influence covered including: politics, social activism, sport, business, musical composition, faith to media etc. I found a common thread which is also captured in this excerpt from the book “Good to Great”:

“Good is the enemy of great. And that is why so little becomes great. We don’t have great schools, principally because we have good schools. We don’t have great government, principally because we have good government. Few people attain great lives, in part because it is so easy to settle for a good life”. Jim Collins – Author of “Good to Great”

The above paragraph really highlighted that people are not born great but become great! In my field of work it is about helping others to discover and recognise that there is greatness within them and I see greatness within children in schools. Some of them may not be academically gifted but, by looking into their eyes and hearing their thoughts I can sense the greatness in them. Many of them could experience their greatness IF they were willing to accept the journey.

So are you willing to take the journey? Are you willing to pay the price? Or as they would say the cost to be the boss? As it is lonely at the top. Whether it is at the top of a business or at the top of your area of expertise, it is lonely the more distinguished you become, which many are not ready for. You see many like the ideal of being great but not the reality of being great!

Are you ready to pay the expense of being great? The list of individuals above none of them was born great, many of them had very modest and normal up bringing’s but, at some point in their life something happened and they went on a life changing journey. What happened would usually include one of these P words: Purpose or Potential. They found out that they had a Proficiency for something that they became Productive and Prolific in, it could have been an instrument or discipline, or they had a Pain in their heart either a cause, an injustice or a need that they were Passionately drawn to. What encourages greatness is persistent “Pursuit”.

The people in our list paid the price many of them would have sacrificed creature comforts, times of socialising or enjoying what everyone was. They surrendered their lives to their callings, spending endless hours of solitude honing their gift, practicing their skills, refining their gift, developing their thinking, researching their field, overcoming the personal struggles that accompany such an expectation to deliver their talent, gift or product. They would have been lonely in crowds, missed the comfort of family and cried many tears wishing they could have been normal. This is the life of the great, this is the journey of greatness and those such as Martin Luther King Jr, Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln paid the price of being great with their lives.

Do you still want to be great? I struggle with gravity of this question and to be honest I am not sure that I do but consequently I am experiencing many of the costs just noted to ensure my every child needs a mentor vision is achieved. How about you? Are you ready to pay the price? Are you willing to pay it with your time, sweat, tears, fears, resources, loneliness or the doubt and ridicule of others? You must! You were born for greatness but the cost is truly expensive. However, being great is in your DNA so don’t shy away from the responsibility of being the gift you are meant to be to this world.

Whoever you are please pay the price as the reward will always be greater, the victory sweeter and the accomplishment more inspiring to those who are watching your journey.
Live your purpose on purpose!