Just One Word

When I was a kid, I wanted to be the best.

That’s what kids want.  Not just to participate in things, but to be the best.  Not just the best at one thing, but the best at everything.  You want to be recognized for being the best.  Win things because you are the best.  My brothers and I would always compete to see who could throw the football the best, hit the baseball the farthest and run the fastest.  We competed to be the best and when we realized who was the best at something, then that kid was labeled as the best and would carry that title forever. 

“He’s the best football thrower”. 

You needed to convey that information to the group.  That way the other kids would know that he should be playing QB.  If you had an uneven amount of kids, then the best “thrower” would be expected to play “all time QB”.   I never got to play all time QB when we were kids because I was the best at tackling.

“He’s the best at running”.

When other kids challenge your group of friends or family to a race, you had to designate which kid was going to take on the challenger.  Obviously, all challenges were met by the kid that was best at running. 

You wanted to be the best.  The best gave you respect and bragging rights.  The best could be inserted into every sentence or phrase and make complete sense.  To walk around trying to be the best at everything as an adult is not only impossible, but a little pretentious don’t you think?

What’s your word?

If you could pick a word that you wanted others to use when describing you, what would it be?  Just one word.  Not a phrase or a list of adjectives, but one word.  You need a word that would easily define who you are or why you would be appealing to others who have never met you.  Others cannot give you this word.  You have to be this word, commit to this word and give off the overall vibe of this word.  If you live your life with the focus of living up to this one word, the word will easily attach itself to you.  Not like a nickname, those are given to you and usually not for the positive things you have done in life.    

My word is GREAT.

I thought about being good, but that’s not enough.  Anyone could be good.  Terrific is a solid choice too, but I think great trumps terrific.  At least in my definition of the words.  I want to be a great father.  A great husband.  A great son and brother.  A great friend that anyone would love to have.  I want to be great at life.  I want to be greater than the person I was yesterday. 

When writing out your goals and visualizing what you want to be in life you should add your one word to the list.  Put it on a sticky note and place it in front of you at your desk.  Leave reminders to yourself wherever it makes sense and filter your actions in life through your one word.  Like goals, writing it down helps to make it real.  Some people do this with religion and that’s perfectly fine, but beyond your beliefs, I think you still need that one defining word.  If you hold yourself to the standard of the meaning of that word, others will contagiously share that word when describing you. 

What can be bad about that?  Unless your word is asshole…then I would suggest a different word.