Deep down inside all of us is a desire to make our mark on life and to be more than we are right now. But how do you go about that? What separates the truly great from those who amble through life? Is it as hard as we think it might be?
In reality, of course, I cannot guarantee you greatness and anyone who promises that they can should be run out of town for the charlatan that they are. However, I can offer you insight into what separates the greatest from the rest and you’ll be amazed at how straightforward it can be to give yourself the chance of greatness.
Let’s take a look, shall we?
You Need A Sense Of Purpose
If you don’t have a sense of purpose; it’s impossible to be great. If you don’t know where you’re going – you can’t get there.
Great people always have a sense of what they want to achieve before they even begin. It’s important to remember that you don’t need to desire riches and wealth untold to be great.
Mother Theresa of Calcutta achieved greatness through working among the poorest people of the world in India. Nelson Mandela might have come from a privileged background, but his greatness came through his will to create a better world for the people of South Africa.
You Need A Sense Of Patience
The digital world has given us all a mistaken sense of immediate gratification. All you have to do is fire up your device and whatever you want is within reach in seconds.
You don’t need to stay up to watch your favorite sporting event, you can record it while you sleep and then follow it on your phone when you wake.
The trouble with this is that it has also made us impatient. We want what we want, and we want it now. And if we don’t get it? We get discouraged and give up.
Rome wasn’t built in a day and great men and women are not built in a moment either. If you want to be great then realize now, it’s a marathon and not a sprint.
You Need Certain Passion
If you don’t feel passionate about your purpose; how will other people become passionate about it? There’s no point in trying to save the world, if you just don’t care whether it survives or not.
We are all different. The things that inspire and motivate us are not the same. The great person becomes great thanks to their passion driving them towards their purpose and enabling their patience because they are enjoying the journey.
You Need To Persist
Patience is a great quality, but you can’t sit around waiting to become great. You have to show up every day and try to be great. You can’t lay back on your laurels for a single moment.
Great leaders, great followers, alike must be prepared to work for what they want and work harder than everyone around them.
Sure, it can be scary at times and there will be days when you’re exhausted and wondering why you began but it is persistence that pushes past these moments. That enable us to break through the clouds and see the summit that we are aiming for is much closer than it ever was before.
Conclusion
Greatness is not something that is innate. You’re not born or destined to be great. It’s something that you can attain. Not everybody who tries for it will be great – there is a small amount of luck involved in these things but everyone who becomes great will embody the characteristics described here.
They will have a sense of purpose, passion, patience and most importantly of all they will persist when everyone else gives up and goes home; they will persist. The formula is simple. The execution can be challenging but if you want it badly enough, there’s no reason you cannot be great too.
