You Were Created to Be Great
Why is it so easy to become content with the attitude of “that’s good enough”? No matter whether we have taken that attitude towards personal or professional responsibilities, we know that bumping up our effort at any given task can produce outstandingly better results. Why are we content with good, or rather, good enough?
I’ll share a personal example to illustrate further.
At my former job I was responsible for the weekly email newsletter. Because of its frequency, the newsletter became an afterthought in my mind. We have a list of over 1500 people who receive the newsletter, yet I was putting minimal effort into producing each week’s offering because the content was good enough.
Until three months ago.
In the spring of 2014, I decided that I was going to bump up my efforts and give focused attention to this task. The results? We have seen a consistent increase in people who are opening our newsletter and people who are clicking on any given item. The payoff has been worth the added effort (approximately 60-90 minutes weekly).
What is the thing in your life that you’ve become content to phone in? What is it that is “good enough”? Is it a musical ability that you’re coasting in, never practicing to improve? Is it related to dance or perhaps fitness? Are you phoning in your marriage or parenting relationships because you’re content with where they are ?
Whatever it is, you need to know one very important thing: while your minimal effort might be better than someone else’s maximum effort, you will never know what greatness you’re capable of until you decide to go from good to great.
Stop sliding and start thriving.
Great post Dave! I used to play saxophone in college, and was pretty good without really having to practice much. I remember going to a competition, and after performing the piece of music, the judge wrote down on his score card that I “have a lot of potential.” That was just a nice way of saying….”you’re good, but if you want to be great, you need to work, you need to put in the unseen hours and practice.”
Wesley, absolutely! I love how you identify here that we have to be willing to take those moments of insight and not take offense, but rather, look at it as free advice. LOVE IT! Good stuff man.
What a conclusion! “While your minimal effort might be better than someone else’s maximum effort, you will never know what greatness you’re capable of until you decide to go from good to great.”
That decision changes everything.
Skip, thank you for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment. Means the world and I appreciate the kind words.
I feel like my life and the lives of those around me are walking examples of this truth lived out… When we actually do make that decision.
Appreciate you and all you do. Blessings Skip!