Becoming great

HISTORICALLY, rulers were often given the title of ‘The Great’. Alexander the Great of Macedon, or Catherine the Great of Russia are just a few examples.

Yet, what was so exceptional about these human beings that qualified them to receive this title?

Mostly, these individuals ruled for a long period of time, or conquered large tracts of land, and sometimes they were seen as kind and benevolent leaders, but not always.

In the modern era, we don’t seem to award these titles any longer – for example, we don’t say ‘Queen Elizabeth the Great’, or ‘Bill Gates the Great’.

Could it be that we are looking for a new kind of leadership, or that our measure of greatness is a very different one now?

Greatness is about mastering our inner world, the inner self.

The one who is calm and peaceful in the face of adversity is great. The one who can give love when confronted with hatred is great. The one who has humility when bombarded with insult and arrogance is great.

This really does change the meaning of greatness altogether. Because greatness is not about power, status or conquering the world.

It is about who we are and how we are able to realign ourselves to the forces of change.

A big part of becoming great concerns making others great, putting others first, and watching their backs. It’s about inspiring and building a community of great people. This takes fortitude and humility.

Greatness is never confined to the exalted few. We can all be great in our own way.

In fact, we are programmed for this kind of greatness. It comes from the heart and soul rather than the head.

Once it is achieved, a brave new world of harmony and peace becomes a possibility.