Barb and I took our oldest two granddaughters, Ellie and Maddie, to their first Seattle Storm game at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday. As it turns out, it was the last regular season game for the GOAT.
Sue Bird is inarguably the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time) for the Storm franchise; and arguably (though I would defer to the former adverb) the GOAT of Seattle sports history, male or female. In her 20 seasons with only one team, she’s a 4-time champion, 12-time all-star, and first all-time in WNBA history for games played, assists, and minutes played. She ranks 4th all-time in steals and 7th in points scored.
As this past week also marked the death of the great former Boston Celtics player and Seattle Supersonics coach, Bill Russell (also widely heralded as the GOAT), it made me consider the acronym.
The “Greatest of All-Time” is tough to define. It tends to be personal in nature based on numerous factors. And, it gets tossed about a lot, but generally in the direction of those who should be given consideration for it. We apply to often to athletes, other times to entertainers and artists.
What about the GOATS in business and life?
Are you a GOAT in your industry and career? If you don’t think so, who will?
How about we throw unneeded modesty aside for a minute and just talk skill. Are you good at what you do? Are you great? Are you uncommon?
You’d better think you are or nobody else will. I’m not talking about being brash, arrogant, or smug. I’m talking about the confidence to know that you are truly uncommon in what you do and it benefits others who need your help, through your product, service, or smarts.
I think there are many humans who don’t have a passion for what they do. Maybe they got bored and feel stuck. Regardless, there is a loss of that drive and confidence that propel people like Sue Bird and Bill Russell to uncommon places in their professional careers.
Many people may think, that this stardom is reserved for others, not them. I call rubbish. There are more stories of people who had no “right” to end up where they belonged, yet found a way to persevere and excel. They had uncommon fortitude and confidence in their skills and mindset.
If you don’t have that in your career right now, why not? If you do, then keep moving forward boldly, knowing that being the GOAT is reserved for those that always keep failing, trying, and being resilient in an uncommon way.
Last thought….we should also want to be GOATs in our personal lives. With our families and most cherished relationships. I know that this is important to me in the lives of my children and grandchildren. I want to continually push the envelope of being uncommon to improve their lives and our relationships. Because you see, we can all strive to be GOATs for the betterment and enrichment of others.
Keep chasing unleashed.
Quote of the Week:
“Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together.”
~ Eugene Ionesco (20th century French Dramatist)
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