I recently re-read this quote from Jim Collins, which originally appeared in “Good to Great” (an all-time great business book):
“Greatness is an inherently dynamic process, not an end point. The moment you think of yourself as great, your slide toward mediocrity will have already begun.”
This reminded me of a story I once read about Michael Jordan and his constant pursuit of greatness. According to the story, after winning one of his NBA championships, he looked at his trainer and said “See you tomorrow morning.”
The man who won 6 professional championships refused to settle. Maybe that’s why he led his team to two 3-peats!
We may not have the intensity and drive of Michael Jordan, but I think it’s an important reminder that if we want to maintain greatness, we can’t accomplish a goal and then assume more greatness is automatically coming our way.
Once you become great at something, competitors begin chasing you to knock you off your pedestal.
This is why it’s so challenging for championship teams to repeat. They celebrate and settle which removes the “chip on their shoulder” or “edge” that led them to become champions in the first place.
Being great in any area of life isn’t a one-and-done activity.
I love the picture of reaching the peak of a mountain and then seeing other mountains across the range to climb. These are new opportunities to achieve greater levels of success.
Check out this quote from quarterback Jalen Hurts who recently led the Philadelphia Eagles to win a Super Bowl championship:
“When you hoist those trophies, it’s more so about the journey and less about the results. Obviously, we’re going to be judged for results, but that’s for everyone else to talk about. But the journey is what builds us, it makes us who we are.”
Whatever you want to be great at, realize that achieving it will simply give you a new starting point to go after more.
For some, that sounds exhausting, discouraging, or intimidating.
For others, it’s the fuel that keeps them moving forward in life.
As leaders, simply know that greatness isn’t a one-time experience if you want to stay on top of your game.
Keep leveling up. Keep growing. Keep pursuing new goals and dreams.
There will come a day when we’ll all look back on our careers and lives.
Too many people look back with regret wondering what might’ve been.
But if you keep pursuing greatness, I’m confident you’ll be able to look back with gratitude…even for the things you failed to achieve simply because you kept pursuing them and didn’t give up.
Until next time, make today GREAT!
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