Any great endeavor requires sacrifice—time, resources, choices, and human will are all constrained. When we choose one direction we are naturally sacrificing another direction. When we invest time and resources in one choice it means they are no longer available for another choice. And human will has an affinity for comfort, which is typically diametrically opposed to the concept of sacrifice.

It is said that the biggest enemy of great is good, not bad. 

Improving past bad requires some sacrifice, but the amount of sacrifice required to improve past good seems exponentially greater. In addition, pushing past good, in pursuit of great requires us to sacrifice comfort with no guarantee that we will actually achieve great. That is why most people accept good-enough—they lack the will and passion to make the necessary sacrifices to get to great.

Great leaders, however, are driven by a vision that boosts their will and passion and compels them to sacrifice. That is also why it is critical that all members of a team catch the vision [so that they are able to muster the will and passion to push on when everything within them wants to rest when they achieve results that are “good-enough,” but not great]. 

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.