By now you probably all know that yet another celebrity has left the realm: Muhammad Ali. One of the things that made him so memorable was that fact that, at every chance he got, he publicly proclaimed that he was "the greatest" in his craft of boxing. That was a pretty bold statement to make, especially as often as he did. But I've been thinking about it: He really was phenomenal, and he not only took on but also defeated many opponents that probably should have done him in. A prime example is former heavyweight champion George Foreman, whom Ali snatched the title from during their world-famous fight. Foreman's punches were compared to that of a sledgehammer, and Ali was fully informed of his reputation prior to their fight. Still, he won.
But what makes a great truly great? In Ali's case, it was more than just boxing skills; it was also savvy. He realized that in order to beat Foreman, he would have to use a special strategy. Being great at something doesn't mean you'll automatically prevail without certain efforts. Ali was prudent enough to understand the fact that George wasn't someone he could go into the ring with and easily take out. The consensus was that if he wanted to win, he would need to wear George down physically before he could really make a move that would matter. Ali's body and mind were prepped for the heavy punches he would have to endure. He had a level of fortitude that George wasn't anticipating. As you can see in the video above, it took eight rounds to accomplish his KO mission, and George was devastated by the loss. Ali's combination of skill, wisdom, confidence, ability to accept the reality of the situation and work around it, and his determination was crucial to his victory. It occurred to me that in any situation, those are core elements that, if utilized regularly and together, can take you from average or good to great—and keep you there. (I would also add humility, but Ali wasn't really famous for that! LOL!)
This brings me to you: What are you great at? Can you even be audacious enough to proclaim your greatness at something? While you don't have to go as far as Ali, in the cocky way he trash-talked and boasted, I do think it's important to know what your strengths are, or even find one great strength, and play it up, use it, express it, take pride in it, hone it to the best of your ability. Being great at something is fabulous for your self-esteem, especially if you get to showcase that greatness to the world, and possibly use it to help others. Personally, I think I'm a great writer. I love my work; I'm happy with what I do with my writing. Could I be greater? I'm sure I could. And I strive to be greater. I can tell you right now that I'm not in the frame of mind to run out into the streets and call myself the greatest writer of all time, but I remember when I didn't think I was great at anything, and it made me feel very mediocre as a person. When I stepped into my role as a writer—I mean really embraced it as who I am—and began to work at it, study it, get better at it, and share it with the world, then I started to notice other things I was good and great at. My esteem shot up exponentially. The best part is that these traits and skills are things that no one can take from me, so I feel good about being happy about them, and I feel good about myself because of them.
If you haven't discovered your greatness, then I encourage you to ponder the subject. Everyone's great at something. What's your claim to fame?
Take good care of yourselves, and always remember to honor the spirit!
No comments:
Post a Comment