TGM

What is the difference between the good and the great? What separated Michael Jordan from everybody else? Why have either Ronaldo or Messi been World Player of the Year together for the past 7 years running?( and breaking every goal scoring record between them ). Why back in the day was Tiger Woods streets above everybody else? What made Muhammad Ali the greatest? There so many other athletes too that have dominated their sports like Kings and Queens. The Williams sisters, Schumacher, Usain Bolt, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Henry Shefflin are just some others that come to mind.

Of course all of these people are talented. And sure they have gotten the odd break here and there. But why are they undoubtedly seen as the best in their given field and seen as the creme de la creme. To me, it takes more than a natural ability and a bit of winners luck at times to rise to the top and be labelled in folklore as legend. And undoubtedly, the team players have to be in a great team for them to achieve their own personal greatness (The rest of the Chicago Bulls and Barcelona team weren’t half bad were bad were they?). All this being accounted for, I believe what separates the good from the great is their work rate and their never dying and never ending belief in themselves. They have something that keeps them going and going and going and just hungry for more.

Arguably the greatest sports person of all time, let alone boxing, Muhammad Ali helps to shed a little light on what makes a champion a champion.

‘Champions are made from something they have deep inside them: a desire, a dream, a vision’

What beautiful words they are.

The monumental word here for me is vision. The people at the top have the vision. Having a vision is the fuel that helps you get from where you are today, to where you want your future successful self to be. Jordan Belfort really nails the concept of vision. It inspires you to keep going even when circumstances facing you would suggest your dream is a million miles away. Yet the people at the top just keep going and going. It gets them up in the morning, as their life is their vision. Obstacles are not seen as barriers to progression which means quitting. No no, it means opportunities to grow and learn. It means strengthening their laser sharp focus. As you may or may not have heard, Michael Jordan was dropped from his high school basketball team. Messi was so small growing up in Argentina, he had to use growth hormones. (He’s only 5 ft 6 today). Shefflin got career ending injury after injury.Yet despite these tribulations, all of these individuals have bounced back and will be remembered as the best of the best. Shit will happen, but the vision and the drive to be the best, can blast through the inevitable challenges and obstacles that will come their way.

One of course with all this being said their has to be a passion for what you to. Since your vision is your life, you might as well love doing it.

Steve jobs sums it up well.
‘You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle…’

Have a vision for your life and love doing it. Thats how to be great. Pretty simple really.