Since New Years I’ve been trying to organize my goals for the year. I’ve been asking myself the questions from my last post in order to set myself up to achieve those goals while working towards my highest potential. It got me to thinking about how many times in the past I’ve set resolutions only to have already abandoned them in the second week of January and in turn jab at my self worth for my lack of follow through. As you may have noticed, this year my approach is different. I’m still setting goals but instead of resolutions that require a 180 in life to stick with, I’m asking myself what does my greatness look like. Where am I selling myself short? How can I step into greatness?

Greatness, whatever that may look like for you, requires a vision and a discipline to match it. The vision gives us the fuel we need to remember that reaching it is going to take some sacrifice. Greatness and goals are parallel. If we can learn how to step into the greatest version of ourselves, along the way it is inevitable that our goals will also be met.

When I think of greatness, there are so many of the greats that come to mind: Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson, Lebron James, Oprah Winfrey, Tony Tobbins. To name a few. All of these people saw their greatness in the form of their talents and they bulldozed their way to become the greatest at what they were doing. If you’ve ever read or studied about people who have recognized and officialized their abilities, we see key distinctions that set them apart.

I would have to argue that reaching greatness has less to do with being motivated and much more to do with having discipline. It takes a strong drive to exercise discipline, but the discipline is what keeps us on track. Motivation without discipline often ends up just being good ideas that don’t come to fruition. When we resolve to be more disciplined in our motivations, that’s where our ideas come to life.

Whether it be time, sleep, socializing, money or giving up certain things that don’t align with our visions, we must realize that greatness cannot be achieved without some level of sacrifice. We must remind ourselves as we work to attain our visions that sometimes we have to forego things in the now to be plentiful in those things later. We have to set our alarms earlier. Stay up later. Save our dollars. Turn off the TV or social media. Say no to people, places and things that take us away from the work we know we need to do. Let go of vices that hold us back and stunt our growth. Whatever it may be, sacrifices in the name of greatness will never be made in vain. The sacrifices in our time management will ultimately make or break our arrival into all things great.

Along with discipline and sacrifice, we also need a clear vision. Vision is everything. A strong, concise vision will light the path ahead. It will pull us through dark times and keep us on track when everything around us may not be. It’s a home base. A comfort to fall back on. And it is a safe haven from chaos that surrounds us. Knowing who you are, where you are headed, who you want to be and how you want to feel are all part of the vision. If you can see it, you can achieve it.

Greatness isn’t something we just stumble upon. It takes intentionality and work to become a master of our craft whatever it may be. We must be intentional with our time, goals and how we focus our efforts. This includes being clear on what our intentions for our greatness are exactly. I’ve found it to be true that intentions stemming from being a good person or working towards a good cause are a stronger force than those motivated by money or fame. Let us be sure we are intentional with our time as well as ensuring that our intentions are backed by what’s truly important.

To step into greatness, we must be working with our vision in mind, our discipline at the helm, all the while making sacrifices that keep us in line with what it takes to achieve our next levels.

So as I ask myself, I’ll also ask you, what’s holding you back from your greatness? Are you really ready to do what it takes to step into your greatness? As you continue to make your way through the beginning of the new year, is there anything you could tweak to allow for more focus in any of these areas that will get you that much closer to your vision of greatness?