The conversation went something like this…

Kid (now a high school student): Sir, I want to play in the NBA as a two-guard.

Sir (used to teach and coach the Kid): Most two-guards are 6’4″ and up. You’re too short, plus you’re a little heavyset. You should stick with the point guard position, but sharpen your handle and your shot.

Kid: But the point guard doesn’t get to score as much.

Sir: No, not like the two-guard, but with your height it’s more realistic. If you want to do this you have to work hard though.This summer what are you doing? You need to get up and run every day. Build your strength, and endurance to cut down your size.

…A few weeks pass by and the kid comes back…

Kid: Sir these morning runs are killing me.

Sir: Do you want to be great?

Kid: Yea.

Sir: Well then keep running.

I heard this conversation the other day and although what I typed isn’t word for word it’s pretty close to what was actually said. The question “Sir” asked at the end really struck a cord with me because so often we tell ourselves and each other about the amazing goals we want to achieve and the awesome lives we want to live, but I’ve seen us (you and me) fall short quite a bit. I’ve been wondering if we really know how to get there. While we’re relatively young it’s easy to say “some day,” but as time passes “some day” becomes yesterday and today.

That one question, “Do you want to be great?” is a no-brainer to answer, but the actual attainment of greatness is not always the end result after we reply with a wholehearted yes. Who doesn’t want to be great at whatever they do? Have you ever heard someone say they’re happy and content with being average? If you know someone that thinks like this send them my way because I’d really like to know why.

We all know the saying, “Anything great takes hard work” (again I’m misquoting but you get the gist). It’s one we’ve heard many times, but like many quotes we retweet or put in our facebook statuses can we truly say we’re following it? I know some great people, not just nice, kind and loving, but people who are great at what they do. People who take action and make planned decisions in order to get the result they want. People I admire and look up to because of their discipline and patience.

Everyday society tells us to follow others, to do what others do, to not think for ourselves so we don’t break the mold and often this leads people away from their greatness. It leads us away from fulfilling our plan because we’re busy “keeping up with the Joneses” (they better be millionaires by now wherever they are). We avoid sacrifice and commitment in hopes that “some day” everything will work out anyway.

But in reality how many of us are really taking the right steps to greatness?
What did you do today that was done better than how you did it yesterday?

What I also learned from that conversation is that while dreaming in really important, setting realistic goals and meeting them is what makes your dreams not in vain. Ask yourself that one question as often as possible and follow up with, “What am I doing today to get there?” I think it’ll help to put the ‘yes’ in perspective.

It’s important for us to be honest with ourselves if with no one else. I know there’s areas of my life I’ve half-assed and while it’s not something I’m proud of I’m owning the responsibility. I want to be great. I need to be great. I don’t think I’m here to be any less.

After all, saying is to doing what theory is to practice. So with that being said, be great people and I’ll see you at the top!

Peace.

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