In his weekly newsletter, James Clear shared this thought.
You can either be judged because you created something or ignored because you left your greatness inside of you. Your call.
I read this, and thought about how true is that statement! We are always fearful of taking steps to achieve the greatness we deserve, and are capable of. Why? Do we discount our greatness due to our fears? Why do people have the Fear of being great? Are you afraid of being great?
FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. In my other posts I talk about FEAR to FIRE – Financial Independence, Retire Early. A lot of people I know, have accepted the status quo and do not think about being “great”. Some of them don’t even think about being different. They are stuck in the rat race, and unfortunately, quite happy with it.
I know the ultimate purpose of life for many of us is to be happy. But is that the real purpose of your life? God gave us this smart brain, this powerful body to serve a purpose on this earth. Being happy can not be the only purpose. If we are not using our gifts to their full extent and creating value for others, we are not reaching our full potential. If you are scared of being judged when trying to create something, you’ll probably never start. Don’t worry about the naysayers – they were there at the Hudson river when Robert Fulton demonstrated his steam boat. They kept saying “It is a foolish scheme: I wish we were well out of it.” That steam boat engine went on to create history and the industrial world that we know today. If Fulton was scared of the judgement, and afraid of failure, he would not have taken on this task which created something, and made him great forever!
You can either be judged, or Ignored – Choice is yours. People who are judging you, will not be there when you regret or self pity for not pushing yourself to achieve what you can. They’ll probably be busy judging someone else. That’s their job. They are great at it. You need to find what you are great at, forget your fears, and push yourself to get close to that greatness!
The world embraces greatness with love and warmth. At the same time, the world doesn’t care about those who are fearful. In-fact, we scare those who are scared. Don’t you remember when you were a child, the kid who was easily teased – a crybaby – was always a target. Kids who shot back were left alone. Don’t be afraid to shoot back. Life doesn’t give too many chances. You need to be ready when its your chance, and forget your fears, forget about others judging you. Just remember your purpose and go for it.
Don’t leave your greatness inside of you. One of my aspirations in life, among others, is to write a book that will help others. The reason for this is to serve my purpose. I want to be able to add value to people’s lives, even after I am gone. I want to leave a legacy of success, courage, and greatness that will keep me alive for ages. Its been centuries since the great artists, writers, poets such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Aristotle, Socrates but their work, their art, their lessons are still remembered and cherished. That is greatness.
Go for greatness. Happiness will always be there. Aristotle once said that a human being is happy by “doing” something. We are not happy or content by getting something – that’s temporary dopamine surge that makes us think we are happy. The long term happiness is by achieving something, doing something – doesn’t matter how small or big it is – as long as you are doing something worthwhile, it will make you happy. So why not do something that is worthwhile and will make you great!
Today, I urge you to close your eyes and think of your purpose, your greatness and then do everything that’s in your power to bring that greatness to life – for others, for this world. Leave your legacy!