Have you ever asked yourself what sets you apart from the other 8 billion people living with you on this earth? Have you thought what makes you unique?
These type of questions might be the driver for every single person living his or her life on this earth. Each person strives to prove their worth to the group and in return get the warm feeling of security that they belong. When I was a young boy, I believed that what sets anybody apart is how popular he or she is. I was not popular though, and I always suffered from the sense that I am margenalized and people don’t pay me the attention I am worth. My defense mechanism during this troubled times for a sensitive boy is telling myself “I will be great one day”. Only then I will be popular enough and I will get the attention I deserve.
My strategy was just as straightforward and propably heavily influenced by the american movies I used to watch so much. I was waiting for an extroardinary event that will change my life. Maybe I will be bit by a radioactive spider that will give me superpowers. Maybe I will be struck by lightening and all of a sudden I will start reading people’s minds. The more I grew up the more it dawned on me that waiting for greatness is not a valid strategy. Also, radioactive spiders are very difficult to run into being imaginary and all.
I need validation and I need attention and admiration from everybody I know. I thought the mature and noble path is to change the world and make an impact. As a good student, I thought I could study how any body can become great. A lot of people claimed that they have packaged the path to greatness in their books like Tony Robbins, Robin Sharma, or Mel Robbins. If I studied their books, I can concuct a recipe for greatness. I compiled a list of 43 things that I should be doing on a daily basis including making my bed every morning to start my day with a victory and brushing my teeth with my left hand to energize my brain. Many hobbies were great like exercising and meditating. Great hobbies do not necessarily lead to greatness. Time continued to pass and the age number did not stop growing but greatness never came.
Nothing puts things in prespective better than death. A friend of mine died at a very young age due to cancer. He lived a happy life, married a beautiful woman, and had two wonderful boys. He enjoyed working at his job and died with peace in his heart. I became very afraid that death has become more near than far. I could die at any day before greatness could ever get close to me. I would have been chasing an illusion and missing out on savouring a warm embrace from my mother or a truly happy smile from my daughter.
Real greatness is not something you wait for. Greatness is living the life we are given day after day, doing our duty towards our families, our loved ones, and to our fellow humans. Greatness is in the rare moments you can catch when time stops and all you need feels right there with you.