GOOD IS THE ENEMY OF GREAT

The most miserable people in life are not those who have a poverty of property but those who are poor in legacy - Terry Mante

THE seminal book, Good to Great by Jim Collins opens with a paradigm-shifting thought: “Good is the enemy of great. And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great. We don’t have great schools, principally because we have good schools. We don’t have great government, principally because we have good government.” In the view of Collins, “Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life. The vast majority of companies never become great, precisely because the vast majority become quite good – and that is their main problem.”

At age 32, American talk show host Oprah Winfrey became a millionaire when her show went national in the United States. This is the woman who later replaced Bill Cosby as the only African-American on the Forbes 400 list of the richest people in America at age 41 with a net worth of $340 million. Since 1995, Oprah has been the only African-American to have consistently ranked among the elite list of the 400 richest people in America.

For an African-American lady who was born in rural poverty and raised by a mother on welfare in a poor neighbourhood, that would have been enough achievement for her media career. That should be enough for her to say “It is finished.” Not for Oprah! She went on to syndicate her show on a plethora of television channels in more than 140 nations. For me Oprah’s life is an example of a great life. She did not just become an American champion (which would have been good) but a major international icon whose life and work has motivated many people to pursue various altruistic deeds. A great life is not just one that achieves success but one that becomes a source and channel of inspiration for others.

A great life never stops achieving. It keeps excelling and breaking frontiers. After 25 remarkable seasons and nearly 5000 episodes of the Oprah Winfrey Show, she brought down the curtain on her show and moved on to establish her own television channel; the Oprah Winfrey Network. This is when she is just three years away from the legislated retirement age. A great life doesn’t stop living. It keeps going and doing. It keeps jumping and leaping. It continues living even beyond death. A great life doesn’t mark time forever. It marches on.

HOW TO HAVE A GREAT LIFE
TO HAVE a great life, you must have a sense of mission. You must know that your life is not just about having a great amount of wealth or a high level of education. Life is not just about having an enjoyable family life. Don’t get me wrong; all these are good but the real essence of life goes beyond these. Each of us must take note that there is a special calling on our lives which must be fulfilled before we eventually enter the tomb.

Second, you must pursue your mission with excellence. You must desire to go the extra mile all the time. Be willing to work while others play. Stay awake while others are sleeping. Don’t only aspire to meet people’s expectations; instead endeavour to exceed the expectations of people. In Matthew 5:41, Jesus recommends that “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles (NIV).” That is how to become great. Nobody would give you a standing ovation if you only do what is expected of you. But if you take the initiative to voluntarily do what is not naturally expected of you, you will be on your way to greatness.

And third, decide that you would leave a legacy. A legacy is the remains of your life. After all is said and done, how do you want to be remembered? Will your life be relevant 100 years after you are dead? Today people like Abraham Lincoln, Mother Teresa, Kwame Nkrumah, Albert Einstein, Princess Diana, Alexander Graham Bell, Helen Keller and so many are still alive in the hearts of many people long after their death. If you are thinking of a great life, don’t think about cars and houses. Think about your legacy. Your legacy will portray the worth of your life. The most miserable people in life are not those who have a poverty of property but those who are poor in legacy.

PEOPLE who live great lives are not always comfortable on the outside but they always feel fulfilled on the inside. Your quest for greatness will cost you enormous wealth of comfort. That is why in every generation only few people become truly great because not many are willing to pay the required price. Take note though that greatness is deeply satisfying and internally rewarding.

© 2011 Terry Mante
PEDNET
Accra, Ghana

CRYING WINNERS, DANCING LOSERS

“Day comes after night. If you give up in the plight of the night, you will not live to harness the light of day.”

FOR MANY soccer lovers who followed the European soccer season in 1998/1999, the UEFA Champions League’s crowning battle between German side Bayern Munich and English club Manchester United will remain unforgettable. The match is best remembered as Manchester United scored two last-minute goals in injury time to win 2–1, after having trailed for most of the match. The game's ending was so unexpected that then UEFA President Lennart Johansson had left his seat in the stands before Manchester United’s equalizer to make his way down to the pitch in order to present the trophy, already decorated with Bayern ribbons. When he emerged from the tunnel at the final whistle, he was stunned. “I can't believe it,” he later said, “The winners are crying and the losers are dancing.” Bayern’s only goal had come in the sixth minute of the game and if they had not conceded those goals in the ninetieth and ninety-second minutes, they would have been crowned champions for that season.

BAYERN’S BLUES
BAYERN’S loss can speak to us in many ways. When you start well, you must endeavour to finish well. A good beginning does not guarantee a good finish. A plush wedding will not naturally lead to a great marriage. Inasmuch as it is good to lay good foundations, the roof of our efforts are also important. A little mistake and your life will be shattered. Don’t take anything for granted. At every stage of your life, strive to be on top of your game. Don’t let anything take you by surprise. Don’t celebrate until you receive the trophy. In business, no matter how much you trust the other party don’t put the cart before the horse. Don’t move until the deal is signed. If you want to be a champion in life, never count your chicks before your eggs hatch. You’ve got to hold on to your mettle until the final whistle is blown.

UNITED’S U-TURN
ON THE other hand, we can learn from Manchester United’s fortune in that encounter. You can dance even if you are losing. You can smile in your sadness. You can go up when things are going down. You can win when you are being defeated. How is that possible? All you’ve got to do is to adopt the posture that “it’s not over until it’s over.” You may not start in a promising way but you can end in a predominant manner. In the Bible, we learn from Ecclesiastes 7:8 that “The end of a matter is better than its beginning (NIV).” It’s possible to start life poor and end up wealthy. You could be at the bottom of your class but you can be at the top of a thriving corporate entity.

Don’t give up when life is tough. If you are a lady and you are not married, don’t feel you are too old to be married. Even in your menopause phase, you can still meet Mr Right. Nobody should write themselves off in life simply because they think it’s too late. The sun rises only after a dark night. When everything around you is dark, do not commit suicide; do not kill your expectations. Remember that day comes after night. If you give up in the plight of the night, you will not live to harness the light of day.

FINE FINISH
TO BECOME a dancing loser or a dancing winner, I offer these five guidelines:
1. Focus on your ultimate objective
2. Remain hopeful even when there is no reason to do so
3. Give off your best all the time
4. Don’t stop fighting when the fight is not over
5. Make every moment of your life count

I don’t know the field you operate in but I don’t want you to declare the finality of your life when there could be further opportunities in the future. Even when you feel weary and worn out, remember that there is injury time ahead and that could be your time of opportunity. If you are already winning, stay on the winning path. Don’t quit. Winners never quit.

© 2011 Terry Mante
PEDNET
Accra, Ghana

WHERE ARE YOU?

To keep your goals alive, constantly remind yourself of what you set yourself to achieve

SEEING WHERE YOU ARE
ONCE a while it’s good to pause and ask yourself; “Where am I?” This question is not an enquiry about your geographical location; it queries your location in light of your dreams and aspirations. Many companies ask this question of their staff. They call it performance evaluation. It is usually done to assess the delivery of employees vis-à-vis their job description and corporate goals. Such an exercise enables the company to measure their successes and shortfalls so they can take steps to ensure optimum results.

In our personal lives, such an assessment could be useful. It helps us to evaluate our goals and to establish how far we’ve reached with their execution. At some point in life, we need to pause and check where we are. Normally when I’m travelling and it’s a long journey, I like to have an estimate of the duration and distance that the journey covers beforehand. What I often do en route is that I consistently look at my watch to ascertain how long I’ve been on the road and to get an estimate of how much more time I shall spend on the road. I also pay attention to signposts indicating the distance I have to cover ahead of me. This often helps me to track whether or not I’m within schedule. When I do that it helps me to plan effectively and to operate efficiently. I’m able to manage all my appointments appropriately.

As we travel through life, it’s important that we constantly assess our routes to ascertain whether or not we are on the right path; whether we should slow down or move faster; change route or keep moving in same direction.

SENSITIVITY TO YOUR GOALS
IF YOU forget your goals, you cannot evaluate them. Therefore it is important that we keep our goals in perspective. Many people set great goals at the beginning of the year but by the end of the third month, those goals would have evaporated from their minds. Such people go through the rest of the year without any compelling dream. And all too soon, they find that the year is at its end and they find themselves wanting. When you set any target, the last thing that should happen to it is to allow it to escape from your life. What you need to do to keep your goals alive is to constantly remind yourself of what you set out to achieve. Do this on a daily basis.

In order not to forget the goals you set, it will be prudent to write them down. Keep the written document at a place where you will see it everyday and make sure that you take small steps daily. When it’s time for evaluation, that document could come in handy.

SECOND LOOK AT YOUR GOALS
A GOAL is an intended destination. We all know that to reach a destination, we must follow a path. Every time we set a goal, we also determine some action points. Take a look at what you said you would do and what you have done. Measure and establish the gaps between your goals and your prevailing reality. Establish the causes of the gaps and think of ways to bridge the gaps as you move along. Sometimes, you may have to adjust your goals or change them completely.

SINCERE ASSESSMENT OF YOURSELF
IN ASSESSING ourselves, we need to be honest in our conclusions. We should be realistic. I think that each of us could be our own best judges if we would adopt a posture of sincerity. I have to be able to say to me that, “Ah Terry! That is a lousy move.” I should be able to reprimand myself for the bad choices I make. That way, I could step up and move in the right direction. I heard former British Prime Minister Tony Blair say that anytime he made a silly move a cabinet member would say something like, “That is a pretty bold move, Mr Prime Minister.” Under those circumstances, he had to be smart enough to know that he was heading in the wrong direction. If we are not honest with ourselves, no one would deal with us honestly. Sometimes people may not have the courage or sincerity to tell us that we are messing up. We must deal honestly with ourselves; and by that we’ll be doing ourselves lots of good.

© 2011 Terry Mante
PEDNET
Accra, Ghana

Originally written in September 2009 and edited for the Business and Financial Times (Lifestyle edition) of Friday July 8, 2011