What does it mean to “make a great human”
Greatness is not the goal. It’s not even the aim. Greatness is simply the defining boundary of the infinite game we play — the (cue music) circle of life.
On my journey of “making great humans”, I’ve discovered that in order to make truly great humans — you must start with the obvious: make yourself great. Now, the more humble readers among you will point out how arrogant that statement is; how extraordinarily self-indulgent it is to think that we can make others great or even that we can make ourselves great… and for the most part, you’d be correct.
Somebody once shared with me that there are three inescapable truths in life: we have to be born, we have to die, and we have to face the consequences of our actions. And it’s in these constraints that I choose to set myself on the path of greatness — the consequences of my choice have thus far been an indelible hunger for making the most of my life and the lives of those entrusted in my care.
What is it?
Making great humans is a mission, a purpose, a calling … but greatness is not the aim. Greatness is the direction — it’s the North Star that simply points me in the direction of travel. I’m not sure what’s at the end. I’m not even sure that it’s the “right” direction, but in the absence of any other direction; greatness sure seems like a worthwhile pursuit. And to quote somebody much wiser than me:
"Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service." --Martin Luther King Jr.
Who are you talking about?
There are those who’ve chosen to live a life of service to themselves - to them, that’s greatness and to those, I wish you well. I can assure you that life in pursuit of your own desires has a limit to its greatness. To those people, I am simply here to encourage you: there’s a much higher calling and purpose for your life.
There are those who live a life of service to their families. You folks are the bedrock of society - to the single parent fighting to provide for your family; I honour you. For the parents who set aside hopes and dreams to raise a young family; I honour you. For those who’ve put their lives on hold to care for elderly relatives, for the sick, or simply to be available to their family; I honour you. Your life is a life of greatness — defined by your service to the people you didn’t choose.
There are those, still, who dedicate their lives to serving their friends, their social circles, their community, their local area, their country — thank you for contributions to making our world a better place.
Then there are those who live their lives in service to God. To you - I believe you’ve found the ultimate purpose and calling. I believe your pursuit is the greatest of all … because whatever your beliefs, a life lived in service of the eternal will always be greater than a life in service to the temporal.
Wrapping Up
To make great humans - we are on a journey of bringing out the greatness in those around us. Helping them find their own greatness is our mission, our purpose, our calling — and we’re honoured to be sharing it with you.