I Am the Greatest! (and you are too!)

What's the difference between Greatness and Okayness (my made up word)?

Okayness requires a lack motivation to fly high. We can all just skimp along and steadily glide by on life's cruise control. There is no need for original thoughts (everybody 'borrows' from everybody anyway, right?), no need to push harder, work smarter, or challenge the status quot (God forbid!), or ask the outrageous question: 'Why not?'  In a nutshell, Okayness is the best friend of Mediocre, who just happens to be the best friend of Wack.  Are you down with that crew?

Greatness requires us to push our boundaries, go the extra distance, take a leap of faith, and at times make a sacrifice. Working towards greatness does not mean that we have to live like a monk or subscribe to a life of misery. To the contrary, working towards greatness means we willingly subscribe to courage and authenticity.

Yes, I used the 'C' word and the 'A' word. I know neither one of those words are very popular these days. In fact, the words 'courage' and 'authenticity' are usually met with a collective sigh, a rolling of the eyes, and a quick changing of the subject.

However, no matter how fast and far we think we've run away from those two words, they keep showing up. Why do they keep showing up in our lives? The answer is, because whether we like it or not, we all have the potential to be great. Great is not good, not alright, not cool - it's GREAT.

Courage is the seed of our being, from our first breath to the last. Every day, every action, every creation we make, requires courage. Whenever we shrink from a challenge, or sink into our comfort zones, or choose not to speak up, we eventually feel the pain.

Authentic is not just an adjective, it is a verb.  Authenticity is the action of fulfilling the essence of who we are meant to be.  It requires constant growth and expression. With that said, authenticity is also the task master of life, because everything done in darkness comes to light.  Sound familiar?  If we think back over our lives,  I'm sure more than a few prime examples of this theory will surface.

Deep down inside, we all know that courage and authenticity liberate us from being small versions of ourselves. They move us out of the sphere of Okayness and into the sphere of Greatness. So I ask you, which crew do you really want to belong to?

Ciao Bella,
Lauri Lyons
www.laurilyons.com