Greatness is…

Do you ever wonder what makes someone truly great? 

My life's mission is to Make the World More Awesome. I see my role in that by maximizing human performance and experience—developing people, building teams, and solving problems to overcome evil with good. Because of this, I've always been fascinated by what sets top performers apart from the masses. Whether it's a tier 1 military operator, a world-class athlete, or a leader who changes the world, the far end of the performance bell curve captures much of my thinking and contemplation. 

Last month, ESPN named Michael Phelps the athlete of the decade. I'm not interested in debating whether he, LeBron James, or Simone Biles deserves the title, but I am deeply curious about what sets these individuals apart from everyone else. 

Where are you in what’s most important to you?

Many people look at the far end of the talent bell curve and attribute greatness to an unusual amount of natural gifts and talents. They believe these individuals are uniquely great, and our role is simply to marvel at them. However, the older I get, the less I believe this is true. After reading "The Talent Code" by Daniel Coyle and "Ultralearning" by Scott Young, I increasingly believe that we all have the capability to develop exceptional abilities. What separates the great from the rest is their focus and commitment to the work. 

I recently heard Michael Phelps describe his mindset on a podcast. Traditionally, swimmers train six days a week and take Sundays off to rest. Phelps realized that taking Sunday off made his Monday workouts less productive, and it took until Tuesday to get back to his previous week's performance level. Driven by the possibility of breaking world records, Phelps didn't skip a workout for six years. 

I'm realizing more and more that what makes people great is laser focus and a commitment to the work and development required to become great. I first encountered this idea when Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers described the Beatles' development, playing eight-hour sets six nights a week for years before anyone knew who they were. 

Coyle describes three phases of developing greatness: Ignition, Master Coaching, and Deep Practice. Ignition is the spark that creates motivation and passion to do the work. I saw this when Phelps described wondering what was possible. Master Coaching involves direct, specific feedback and a supportive environment tailored to the learner. Deep Practice requires intense focus, constant feedback, and deliberate repetition. 

I think the easy part is learning how to be great; the much harder question is what to be great at. Phelps' six years of daily training earned him numerous gold medals, fame, and fortune, but it undoubtedly cost him in other aspects of life. It's impossible to be great at everything, and attempting to do so can be draining and steal much from us. 

So, here's what I'm pondering:

Leaders, what do you want to be great at?

Are you doing the work to be great?

Are you willing to let go of nearly everything else to achieve greatness in your chosen path?