The cost is a life

People argue online about what makes greatness.

Are people born great? Or do they earn it from 10,000 hours of input?

I’m not convinced about either of them.

I think the cost of ‘great’ is higher than that.

I think it’s about committing your short life… to something.

Whether that ‘something’ matters or not to others, doesn’t matter.

Whether the result at the end of the journey happens or not, doesn’t matter.

The cost of real greatness is a life.

Not every waking second, not hustle, none of that.

But a daily recommitment to your work. No matter when in life you discover it, the daily recommitment to that work. Getting a little better, every day, on purpose.

A great marriage (for instance) isn’t “born”, nor is it a byproduct of a 10,000 hour sprint. It takes a recommitment to that marriage, every day, for the rest of your life.

And the same is true for our work.

And what a privilege it is.