I was so stunned to hear you tell me that I am great. I also pondered over it for a few days, and I am so relieved. now I strive to be in my greatness everyday. I don't have to make up things in my head on how to be great. I can't begin to tell you how much energy I wasted on thinking i was great. See, I "tried" being what I thought others thought was great. I was "trying" to be great for them. NO MORE!!!!!
Being great to me is being who you really are. I means no more fake stuff. I can be in my greatness each day by sticking to my basic morals. ie... Don't lie, Don't steal, Don't cheat, Treat others as I want to be treated, be real, stay in the moment. I'm not saying that I'm a saint and that I don't screw up from time to time beacuase I do. I put the word try in parenthesies because I have learned that "trying" is not doing. My life has become action oreiented today, and by taking action, I can live into my greatness. ie... being authentic, living in integrity, give back to some one in need, and be just me! I thank you for letting me share, p.s... great poem, what an awsome way to think about anothers perspective. Thanks for the tears Kim! hahah
Brandi

How do I define Greatness?

“ The state of standing in and living from pureness, excellence and purpose”

Kim and I speak so much and use the term Greatness repeatedly yet I have not really defined it myself. Greatness, for me, goes back to the first time I read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand over 20 years ago. After completing the book, I felt I had rediscovered “home” as I was meant to live.
This book spoke to me of never compromising virtue and values as a result of people, places and things outside of themselves. The Human Spirit-in a glorious state-pureness from contamination, defilement and perpetration. Clarity was their “come from” as far as who they were “being”. Walking away from themselves was never an option-a sin even- though I also feel Greatness can also be restored. I love to drive around and look at older Victorian homes and classic cars in need of TLC-I dream of restoring (Restored: to be put back to proper use) them into their greatness. So greatness for me is not just a human trait is it? I see the Greatness in a perfect sunset as well as a Category IV Hurricane. I see Greatness in the tallest skyscraper as well as the smallest anthill. All are doing what they were created to do-their purpose was “clean” upon delivery. Clean meaning: not clouded or distorted as so many of my life choices have been. Today I am absolutely clear that I can walk through my life in “ Greatness” holding onto the highest level of clarity with the help of communities such as this one.

“ That’s all I have to say about that.”
-Forrest Gump

My Greatness begins with me being grateful for all the things I ALREADY have in life. From there I've started to explore my relationships with others and how I may have a positive affect on them. What are my good qualities? I never want to espress my good qualities, but there's greatness inside,I need to use it in positive ways.

My Greatness begins with me being grateful for all the things I ALREADY have in life. From there I've started to explore my relationships with others and how I may have a positive affect on them. What are my good qualities? I never want to espress my good qualities, but there's greatness inside,I need to use it in positive ways.

Have you read Covey's book yet? I bought it but haven't cracked it open yet. I am a huge Covey fan, so bear with me. In "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," he talks about the character ethic (who we are) as compared to the personality ethic (schemes to get what you want). Effectiveness is described as integrity, first with self and then with others. He also talks about how our values are already there; habit 2 of beginning with the end in mind is mining them, bringing them to light. So from what I know from the 7 habits, it seems to be in line with the concept that we are already great. (Can you tell I was coached by Franklin Covey Coaching Company?) So, I hope he hasn't strayed from that in his latest book.

So, what does greatness mean to me? First of all, I recognize that I have been struggling to identify ways to utilize my greatness through service to others before I have even gone through the step of claiming my greatness. I have been so focused on what I'm not and haven't done that I haven't recognized who I am and what I have done. I've been focusing on accomplishments as a source of greatness recently. That thinking is just plain wrong.

I love how Brandi said that greatness is just being me. Greatness is being authentic. Greatness is treating myself with the same kindness and compassion that I provide others. Greatness is accepting and loving myself wholely and completely. Greatness is simply being who I am and loving myself for it.

HI Jen,
In the last part of your comments it felt to me that you are speaking of "Falling in Love with Who You Are!"

In recovery we say:
" You can not transmit what you have not got."
(Alcoholics Anonymous, A Vision for You)

Thank you for your sharing your insights on the shift from "have not got" into "what I already bring"- I love it!

Hey Elizabeth! That was quick! It took me a minute to comprehend what you said but I got it. I want to cry just thinking about it. A good cry. I haven't felt this good in awhile and life isn't that good. And that's what's soo cool. Thanks for the feedback. Have I told you lately how much I appreciate you?

I loved what everyone said about greatness. I'm sitting here at the computer (after reading everyone elses thoughts) and I couldn't think of anything original to say--you all said it all! So, I'm thinking like Kim, Greatness just is...and that brought my thought to perspective and positive. A positive perspective?! Greatness is being in love with your true self. Supposing that I am in love with who I am then anything that comes my way, I will be able to handle with confidence because I like who I am, I trust the decisions that I make, and I'm comfortable enough to accept that I may make a mistake. Why, because I am so okay with what I've done that if it was wrong (or whatever) then watch out because I'm about to learn something yet again. And how exciting that must be to the one who is in love with who they are.

Greatness as far as other "things" like Elizabeth said, yeah...I see so much greatness around me but the catch...only when my mind is clear enough to see. That's where the positive perspective comes in. I can see it today, all the greatness surrounding me but yesterday...not so much.

Finally, I come to my conclusion that like Kim says, Greatness just is. Greatness is all that stuff. Greatness is having the ability to see greatness thru the trials that life brings and the opportunities I have to do life in so many different ways and loving myself thru it all.