When looking at Greatness we do not necessarily see what drives the true leader. When a person becomes great or famous many not so famous people begin to talk about how the person became great and what makes them tick. This is particularly true for the celebrities among us. Not only do people who follow these famous individuals believe they know them but they believe they know what the person should say or do upon becoming famous. Is it not the individual himself who became great? And is it not he who should inspire others to become great? Mindset is again so important in the great individuals. The drive behind the mindset is so crucial within the great individuals. Everyone wants to know what goes on inside the mind of a champion, a great business leader, a famous politician. It is truly refreshing when you see a person do something that is not expected. In investing, the one that does not follow the pack usually profits handsomely. The business leader that takes his company down a new path to success or failure. The entrepreneur who sees the market where no one sees one. The athlete who never gives up his dream to play at a higher level.
I write this as the greatest basketball player ever goes into the Hall of Fame, Michael Jordan. It feels to me that an era for me is now gone and my childhood is now over, but I could not help but notice the greatness again in Air Jordan. He did not choose someone that everyone thought he would to introduce him at his ceremoney. He chose David Thompson, a player great in his own right, but as Michael put it “the one that inspired him.” He did not choose Dean Smith, his coach at North Carolina or Phil Jackson his coach with the Bulls. Ones that many thought he would. Those individuals assisted Michael and benefited from Michael they did not truly inspire Michael. “I built my talents on the shoulders of someone else’s talent,” Jordan wrote in his 1998 autobiography, “For the Love of the Game.” “I believe greatness is an evolutionary process that changes and evolves era to era. Without Julius Erving, David Thompson, Walter Davis, and Elgin Baylor, there would never have been a Michael Jordan. I evolved from them.”
As the Jordan Era is now closed we can only inspire to stand on the shoulders of giants ourselves in learning what makes each of us find our true greatness.
When looking at Greatness we do not necessarily see what drives the true leader. When a person becomes great or famous many not so famous people begin to talk about how the person became great and what makes them tick. This is particularly true for the celebrities among us. Not only do people who follow these famous individuals believe they know them but they believe they know what the person should say or do upon becoming famous. Is it not the individual himself who became great? And is it not he who should inspire others to become great? Mindset is again so important in the great individuals. The drive behind the mindset is so crucial within the great individuals. Everyone wants to know what goes on inside the mind of a champion, a great business leader, a famous politician. It is truly refreshing when you see a person do something that is not expected. In investing, the one that does not follow the pack usually profits handsomely. The business leader that takes his company down a new path to success or failure. The entrepreneur who sees the market where no one sees one. The athlete who never gives up his dream to play at a higher level.
I write this as the greatest basketball player ever goes into the Hall of Fame, Michael Jordan. It feels to me that an era for me is now gone and my childhood is now over, but I could not help but notice the greatness again in Air Jordan. He did not choose someone that everyone thought he would to introduce him at his ceremony. He chose David Thompson, a player great in his own right, but as Michael put it “the one that inspired him.” He did not choose Dean Smith, his coach at North Carolina or Phil Jackson his coach with the Bulls. Ones that many thought he would. Those individuals assisted Michael and benefited from Michael they did not truly inspire Michael. “I built my talents on the shoulders of someone else’s talent,” Jordan wrote in his 1998 autobiography, “For the Love of the Game.” “I believe greatness is an evolutionary process that changes and evolves era to era. Without Julius Erving, David Thompson, Walter Davis, and Elgin Baylor, there would never have been a Michael Jordan. I evolved from them.”
As the Jordan Era is now closed we can only inspire to stand on the shoulders of giants ourselves in learning what makes each of us find our true greatness.
Tom Jordan
M3 Master consultant
www.HaveitallwithTom.com
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