Greatness comes in many forms. It comes in people, products and performance. Anywhere something exists there is greatness. It's standing out from the rest of the crowd due to superior performance and accomplishment.
Greatness starts as a tough road. If it wasn’t so tough, then everyone would make the journey. The reason that so few people make it to being great is that there are very few people willing to make the journey, and an even small percentage of people who are willing to finish the journey once they start.
In the 21st century it seems that everyone wants a shortcut to success. Its said that the longest distance between two points is a shortcut. Today everyone wants instant gratification, ultimate happiness and pleasure now. We all want the one magical fundraising idea that will make up for the recent shortfall, we all want the one-day seminar that will magically heal our business mistakes, and we all want the relationship book that will fix our spouse and make them the person we want him or her to be.
Greatness doesn’t happen overnight, which is what makes it so rare. It emerges from within us when we need it the most. Very rarely are we the ones who initiate the path to greatness. Often times it’s a mentor, a kick in the butt from our boss, or some other outside factor that demands that we be great. Once that outside factor takes place, then it’s upon the leader to to do the daily practices day after day to become great.
But it’s up to the leader to identify those outside factors, seize the opportunity and do the daily activities to become great.
