What distinguishes the great from the small, the strong from the weak, the empowered from the hopeless? All men are born with the same characteristics; the day has yet to come where a child comes from the womb with success already behind him. But at the other end of the spectrum, some men are remembered as heroes, celebrities, champions, and so forth; some are almost recognized as having surpassed the bounds of mortality. All the while, there are those whose existences are hardly notable, the peaks of which amount to nothing even comparable to those of the greater men of their times.
Upon seeking the answer to this question, one can be found in the actions of those who have thus far in history attained greatness themselves. The great icons, the political and social leaders, and the heroes in our legends, of our era, and those past, regardless of their cultural differences, all have very basic and definitive characteristics about them.
To be great is to be better than the standard, the average, the status-quo. It might be disheartening to compare two men and find one to be the lesser, but in truth, although all men were created equal, not all men have taken the opportunity to become equal to or better than their peers. One cannot be great by simply being; greatness is a title that is earned, not simply recieved as a gift; granted, each of us has his own natural strengths and weaknesses.
Mankind has, over the years, developed a formula which has been used repeatedly as a tool for success and betterment: investing work and dedication into life generally produces results which place the investor in a place which would be considered better than that which he were in previously. The validity of this forumula can be demonstrated by simple observation of human history. Had a society ever been unhappy with the result of its formation, which would have required a great deal of work to behold, its members' dissatisfaction would have led to their abandonment of the system in an effort to return to their more primitive lifestyles. As can be seen today, few societies are giving up the fight for success. As individuals, were the effort and energy expended in daily life not worth the pain and distress produced by it, we would have all gone extinct by committing suicide long ago. In essence, it can be said that living is generally appreciated more than it is hated. Following this idea, the more energy that is invested into one's daily life, assuming that it is invested logically, the more appreciation that can be expected to follow. Greatness comes then, with more of a benefit than a cost, simply because its achievement requires the commitment of strenuous effort and energy.
But attaining greatness is no simple feat. As was aforementioned, greatness is a quality which requires the ingredients of effort and unfaultering dedication. Greatness is wrought through the sweat, tears, and blood of men who don't stop at comfort, satisfaction, or mediocrity. Striving for greatness comes under the understanding that to be great is to be more than one is, that tomorrow one can be proud to be better than he was.
The problem with attaining the necessary mindset for greatness is that the drive must come from within. While many men spend their lives purely by reacting to the circumstances that chance places them in, the great man is aware that this is simply not enough, but also that awareness is not, in itself, enough either. Greatness is a quality that can only be found through the constant application of the heart and soul. Greatness is a quality that cannot be provoked simply by the existence of a desire for it. The process of achieving greatness must be appreciated and loved, for to be great is to love life, and striving for greatness is to truly live. But herein lies the great paradox of achieving greatness; when one merely exists, and does not live, the process cannot be truly appreciated, so greatness is difficult to inspire. Those who become great must first develop the desire to become great, and must then exercise the discipline to achieve it.
Devote your life to yourself; spend your days to become richer. Sacrifice comfort for fulfillment, and security for freedom. Open your eyes and allow yourself to be exalted and inspired. If you want to live, then live. If you don't, then inspire yourself to choose life. Remember, passivity is no better than nonexistence.
Upon seeking the answer to this question, one can be found in the actions of those who have thus far in history attained greatness themselves. The great icons, the political and social leaders, and the heroes in our legends, of our era, and those past, regardless of their cultural differences, all have very basic and definitive characteristics about them.
To be great is to be better than the standard, the average, the status-quo. It might be disheartening to compare two men and find one to be the lesser, but in truth, although all men were created equal, not all men have taken the opportunity to become equal to or better than their peers. One cannot be great by simply being; greatness is a title that is earned, not simply recieved as a gift; granted, each of us has his own natural strengths and weaknesses.
Mankind has, over the years, developed a formula which has been used repeatedly as a tool for success and betterment: investing work and dedication into life generally produces results which place the investor in a place which would be considered better than that which he were in previously. The validity of this forumula can be demonstrated by simple observation of human history. Had a society ever been unhappy with the result of its formation, which would have required a great deal of work to behold, its members' dissatisfaction would have led to their abandonment of the system in an effort to return to their more primitive lifestyles. As can be seen today, few societies are giving up the fight for success. As individuals, were the effort and energy expended in daily life not worth the pain and distress produced by it, we would have all gone extinct by committing suicide long ago. In essence, it can be said that living is generally appreciated more than it is hated. Following this idea, the more energy that is invested into one's daily life, assuming that it is invested logically, the more appreciation that can be expected to follow. Greatness comes then, with more of a benefit than a cost, simply because its achievement requires the commitment of strenuous effort and energy.
But attaining greatness is no simple feat. As was aforementioned, greatness is a quality which requires the ingredients of effort and unfaultering dedication. Greatness is wrought through the sweat, tears, and blood of men who don't stop at comfort, satisfaction, or mediocrity. Striving for greatness comes under the understanding that to be great is to be more than one is, that tomorrow one can be proud to be better than he was.
The problem with attaining the necessary mindset for greatness is that the drive must come from within. While many men spend their lives purely by reacting to the circumstances that chance places them in, the great man is aware that this is simply not enough, but also that awareness is not, in itself, enough either. Greatness is a quality that can only be found through the constant application of the heart and soul. Greatness is a quality that cannot be provoked simply by the existence of a desire for it. The process of achieving greatness must be appreciated and loved, for to be great is to love life, and striving for greatness is to truly live. But herein lies the great paradox of achieving greatness; when one merely exists, and does not live, the process cannot be truly appreciated, so greatness is difficult to inspire. Those who become great must first develop the desire to become great, and must then exercise the discipline to achieve it.
Devote your life to yourself; spend your days to become richer. Sacrifice comfort for fulfillment, and security for freedom. Open your eyes and allow yourself to be exalted and inspired. If you want to live, then live. If you don't, then inspire yourself to choose life. Remember, passivity is no better than nonexistence.
