Greatness

"I want to be great" is a phrase I often hear from twentysomethings, but I am unimpressed by it.

I find myself undrawn from those who want to be great. Instead, I admire people who want to build something great. Of course, we know people become great by doing something great. However, one's mindset profoundly affects the likelihood of achieving such an outcome.

Those who want to build something great are driven by passion, curiosity, and authentic purpose. Their focus is not on themselves but on the thing they are building. On the other hand, people who want to be great often come across as inauthentic, mimicking what they perceive as "greatness" in others. They chase trends, adopt superficial behaviors, and focus on external validation rather than creating something meaningful or new.

People driven by a genuine desire to build something great often uncover ideas or create entirely new industries. They venture into niche areas most would overlook and, through their work, invent things that never existed before. For them, personal greatness was never the goal; in fact, they likely would not even consider themselves "great." Their achievements are a byproduct of their dedication to creating something extraordinary.

Conversely, those focused on becoming great individuals tend to lack true passion. They pursue what is popular or what they think will earn recognition, often resulting in work that feels hollow or derivative.

This distinction matters to me because it reveals the difference between those driven by ego and those motivated by a deeper purpose. The best people in the world—the ones history may one day call "great"—are the ones who did not care about their greatness. They wanted to build something amazing, and in doing so, they transcended the need for personal recognition.

Navigating ego is an underrated skill in business. Identifying which motivation drives a person has been a key way for me to selectively filter for actual builders and find joy in working with people.