The G.O.A.T

Blog 099 -- June 08, 2018

One of my favorite quotes of all time is; “You miss 100% of the shots you do not take.” These simple yet profound words were spoken by none other than Wayne Gretzky, arguably the greatest hockey player of all time. Gretzky holds or shares 61 NHL records, including those for most goals and assists by any hockey player ever. But the incredible thing about his achievements is that he has over double the amount of assists than goals scored. This speaks volumes for not only his character but also the foundation to his success.

I believe that where a lot of people come up short in their pursuits of something grandeur is their inability to take the shot. I know I certainly have found myself unable to go after an opportunity due to fear of the unknown. My entire childhood encompassed me being too afraid to take the shot; ask out the gorgeous girl from English class, finally join an MMA dojo, or to chase what I truly wanted. I was so scared of failing that I took myself out of the game before even stepping on the ice.

I also believe that our inability to ask for help from others hinders us from attaining greatness to our fullest potential. Behind every “great” individual are hundreds, if not thousands of people who aided, guided, inspired, or helped them attain the greatness we perceive them to have attained. Nothing ever accomplished was done alone. It wasn’t until I began to provision help and guidance myself was I then able to allow myself to receive it. We must be willing to give before we receive, not only in wealth but in assistance as well.

It wasn’t just Gretzky’s goal scoring abilities that made him great, it wasn’t just taking the shot that eternalized his name in hockey history, it was his ability to give those around him a shot to succeed as well. For, if his teammates were successful, then so was he. It was in this thinking that made him the G.O.A.T. To become the greatest of all time takes more than a person’s ability to play the game. Gretzky’s ability to control the game, in every aspect of it, including facilitating the energy between his men, was what made him great. In life, this is what makes people great as well.

There are certain people who are “successful,” while stepping on other people to get to where they have amassed to. But their stay at the top is more often than not, a flash in the pan, and as fast as they come is as fast as they will inevitably go. The people who take the time to forge relationships with those around them, that are helping them progress forward in their evolution, those are the people that reach the top and stay there indefinitely. These people understand that it takes a village to build a city and that the more you help others achieve their aspirations, the more frequently you will achieve yours. This community-based mentality is a keystone to building an incredible life.

We first must learn to take the shot and then we must learn when to pass the opportunity to someone better positioned for success. Not every opportunity presented to us is a goal waiting to happen. Some opportunities are distractions from the true play that should be made. We often get distracted by shiny objects on our route to accomplishing our mission. When we allow emotion to dictate our path, when we veer from the plan out of the need for instant gratification, we end up taking the wrong shots and missing them.

Sometimes a clear shot is a distraction from an opportunity that has yet to present itself. It is just as important to take the shot in the first place as it is to pass the shot onto someone else better positioned to take advantage of the opportunity. I have learned that not every opportunity is right for me, in-fact, most opportunities are meant to lead me astray. The Universe is always testing us, trying to see if we have learned the lessons that are in need of learning. To observe whether we think we have grown or if we actually have. Staying mindful of this is imperative to continued success. Employing these principles guarantees it.