George and Wheezy didn’t “move on up” for nothing. And we know Florence didn’t work for free.
Mia Hamm didn’t wake up one day as a soccer superstar. Maybe she had it in her to become it, but she had to go out and make it happen.
Greatness will cost you something, not somebody else. It doesn’t come free. It’s an inner chip reader (not a swipe), ApplePay for the spirit.
It’s going to cost you some time. It’s going to cost energy, resources, sleep, hours of your life… It’s all the cost of doing what most people are not willing to do.
Greatness is not cheap.
Greatness requires — that’s why there are not many great people: most people are not willing to pay the price.
Greatness is not immediate. In other words, greatness takes time to develop. You can’t just run in your room and come out great. You’ve got to stay with it, stay at it, keep working on it… Don’t give up too quickly.
Greatness is not common.
Greatness does not have to have the approval of everyone, and if you are the kind of person who needs validation, you’ll never achieve greatness. Greatness is uncommon.
You cannot have the approval of everyone and be great. You are always going to live at the lowest common denominator of your friends. So watch out.
You can’t believe one way and live another and be great.
Greatness is living what you believe, and living up to your potential.