Good vs. Great

How many times when taking a test have we settled for a passing grade instead of excelling by targeting 100%? How many times have you cooked something that turned out good but not great because you settled on it being edible? How many of you are on jobs or worked jobs you are good at but not great at because you do not wish to work any harder? How many parents claim to be good parents? What makes the difference between you being a good parent vs. a great one? What areas can you improve because you know you have more to offer but settled on doing just enough? No matter the area, why have you opted for “good” and not great?

There is a quote by author James C. Collins which says, “Good is the enemy of great.” When I say I am a good at something, what is standing in the way of my greatness? Greatness lies within all of us but when you settle for “good” you are cutting off your elevation. Your greatness is revealed when you operate out of the person you were made to be. What were you created for? What gifts, skills, and abilities do you naturally embody? What is your passion? The moment you put your passion with your gifts you awaken the greatness within you.

Be careful when taking this assessment. When you identify your passion don’t allow yourself to be deceived by the thought of money being your passion. Many times money is the driving force behind decisions, however, money is a tool, it isn’t a value. Your values are usually found at the root of your passions. We place monetary value on things to use as a tool to measure importance, but money isn’t the actual value. You may be running a business and as a measurement of success, you may have a applied a monetary target to identify when you’ve reached a level of success. The success of your business is the value you’re working towards.

To be great, take the time to identify and acknowledge your gifts. Reflect on the environment you thrive in and who or what you are naturally drawn to. Your passion is what ignites the fire in you. What causes this immense feeling of enthusiasm within you? Now take your passions, couple them with your gifts, and direct it to what draws you. You have now allowed purpose to give birth to greatness. Don’t settle on being good when you are meant to be great!