“Greatness is not something that lives and dies with one person. It’s how can you inspire a person to then in turn inspire another person, who then inspires another person. That’s how you create something that lasts forever. And our challenge as people is to figure out how our story can impact others and motivate them in a way to create their own greatness.”
— Kobe Bryant, basketball player
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A lighthouse shines so bright it illuminates everything around it.
How do you become such a light?
I think you create illumination through the pursuit of your own truth, completely. Aligning with the truth of your soul so fully that there is nothing else but the vision, embodied. Here you naturally inspire, guide and nurture through your lived example of how you do life.
My definition of greatness isn’t really about being the best at something – although that might be part of the equation – it’s more about being the best at being yourself.
It really doesn’t matter who you think you are – parent, boss, teacher, friend, partner – what kind of difference you think you can or can’t make, it’s much more simple than that.
As Howard Thurman, an integral part of the civil rights movement in the sixties, and mentor to figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., said:
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“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
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Who you are … the truth of your soul … what makes you truly come alive … living that so well, shining so bright, everything around you is lit up …
Isn’t that something truly important, something worth living for?
As Joseph Campbell, the mythologist, exhorted us:
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“If you’re going to have a story, have a big story, or none at all.”
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A little direct there, but why not go big? Why not go big? As big as your own heart, at least … that’s what we’re talking about here.
The question then becomes, “What IS your vision for your life?”.
Get honest, get clear. Ignore the doubt, the should, the “I can’t’s”. Have a vision for the what’s, but crucially be clear on the how: Who you are, truly.
Now –
We can get so distracted with the little urgent things, we forget our guiding principles. Prioritising these then may require a lot more urgency than we’re currently giving them, so … prioritise, remember, return. In other words, “Flame on!”, and light it up when you forget.
I get you’re busy, but imagine how your day will unfold with that kind of clear foundation?
Beautifully.
You’re going to fall short. We all will. But the key is patient persistence; it’s the reapplication of your vision into this moment in time, over and over again. Here you are. Go again. And … while this is already full of quotes, here’s another from the author, Ernest Hemingway:
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“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.”
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Shine bright!
And if you need any help, let me know. This is exactly why I’m here.
Go well,
Arjuna
PS.
I reckon meditation is the thing that truly helps you to ignore your mind and really come alive.
I have some meditation audios that you can download and plug into.
They’re free!
(You’ll get on my mailing list, but stay for the first 4 emails as I send some more free things out, and then it’s easy to unsubscribe.)
Let me know how you get on.I reckon meditation is the thing that truly helps you to ignore your mind and really come alive.
I have some meditation audios that you can download and plug into.
They’re free!
(You’ll get on my mailing list, but stay for the first 4 emails as I send some more free things out, and then it’s easy to unsubscribe.)
Let me know how you get on.