“Good is the enemy of great.”~Jim Collins
This is a very popular quote – and most likely heavily debated. Because there is a time for “good enough,” a time to not try so hard, put too much effort and time in, or sink good money after sunk costs.
There is a time when good enough is truly good enough.
And there are also times when settling for “good” robs us of great. When if we only pushed a little harder, went a little farther, and tried a little more, we’d end up with something great. Something spectacular.
Stopping at “good” stops us from achieving our best.
What’s most interesting to me is that “bad” isn’t the enemy of great, or even “horrible.” In fact, “bad” and “horrible” probably push us on, and help us get to great. It’s “good,” where we can be happy enough with our results, or our relationship, or our leadership or health, that keeps us from getting, and achieving, more.
It’s, again, all about being Thoughtful. And intentional. It’s about making an active, purposeful decision – is where we are good enough? And could it be better – even great – if we went a little bit farther? And would that extra effort (or time, or money, or attention) be worth it?
It’s about choosing and deciding, and then acting. It’s about knowing if we’re aiming for good or great, and if we should be aiming for good or great. And then aiming and hitting our mark.
Where has good kept you from great? How did you get past that?
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If you enjoyed this post, you can read more like it in our book, The Power of Thoughtful Leadership: 101 Minutes To Being the Leader You Want To Be, available on Amazon.
For support in being great, contact Robyn at rmcleod@chatsworthconsulting.com.
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