It's not human nature to be great. It's human nature to survive, to be average and do what you have to do to get by. That is normal. When you have something good happen, it's the special people that can stay focused and keep paying attention to detail, working to get better and not being satisfied with what they have accomplished.
Interpretation
True greatness requires focus and effort beyond mere survival.
This quote emphasizes that being great is not a natural state for humanity; instead, most people tend to settle for mediocrity as they strive to survive. It highlights the importance of dedication, attention to detail, and the continuous pursuit of improvement, suggesting that greatness is achieved by those who remain committed and unsatisfied with the status quo.
In practice
During a motivational speech at a leadership conference.
I don't want people to think I'm not happy when we win - I am. But there's a difference between being happy for the feeling of accomplishing something and being overjoyed and feeling, 'This is it - we conquered the world.' We didn't. We just won a game.
I don't believe you name a starter until the starter wins the team.
People talk about you won four national championships. Well, I feel like we've had good enough teams to win eight. So I feel like we failed four times. I feel like I failed four times.
What happened yesterday is history. What happens tomorrow is a mystery. What we do today makes a difference - the precious present moment.
When I talk about a successful program, define that. It's not just winning the national championship every year because nobody can do that.
I think the worst thing a player can do is just not be yourself.
Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?
Set your target and keep trying until you reach it.
When I was 15, I decided I wanted to be a lawyer. No one thought this was a good idea
If you've got the platform and the ability to make a difference, then this goes beyond 'should' and reaches the level of 'must.' You must make a difference or you squander the opportunity. Wasting the opportunity both degrades your own ability to contribute and, more urgently, takes something away from the rest of us.
Your mind is a magnet. You don't attract what you need or what you want; you attract who you are. And I love who I am!
You're not going to see your dreams come true if you don't put _x000D_ wings, legs, arms, hands, and feet on 'em.
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