What really is 'Greatness'?

 "Greatness does not lie in doing things that you like. It is in doing things that you do not like."

This advise was given to me by someone in my college days. I remember it for two reasons. Firstly, because it was given in the presence of my parents and I had to listen to a lot of follow up advise and lectures from them. Secondly, because I never followed this advise. 

But the more I think about it, more and more questions keep coming to my mind. Let me share a few of them with you...

Firstly, what is greatness? Is it being famous, or being influential, or being a good human being, an icon, a role model, or being the best at what you do? Is it all of these or none of these? What is this illusive 'greatness' that we look for? How do we feel after we achieve it? Do we become different people after becoming great?

Who defines greatness for us? Who decides who is great? What is the most unchallenged, indisputable and absolute measure for greatness? What is the definition of greatness that no-one challenges? What is the definition of greatness that no one CAN challenge. Every person who is considered 'great' by one group is the object of derision by another group. Every thing, concept or idea considered great by someone is a joke for others.

The real question is, is it really necessary to be great? Is it worth it? Why spend time chasing something defined by others to fit into their definition of that thing only to find that it is not what you thought or wanted?

History is replete with examples of people who wanted to be great and wanted to be remembered as great. In the process, they committed unspeakable atrocities on millions. There are also examples of people who were written off as failures at one time and went on to become great at another time, often after their death. So, is greatness dictated by time and circumstances?

As the popular adage goes, 'Some people are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them'. 

True as it is, this still does not answer the question - What is greatness? What is it that people are born with, what do some people achieve and what is it that people have thrust upon them?  

Interestingly, the people considered great are the ones who did not try to be great. They did not aim to have the adjective 'great' put next to their names. Is this what makes them great? We try to be like them, emulate their habits, revere them and even worship them, all in a hope of becoming great ourselves. Rarely does such a thing make someone great. 

So, if doing something makes someone great, why does the same thing not make everyone else great too? If greatness is not acquired by acquiring some great person's habits and lifestyle, how is it achieved? In other words, what does one need to acquire / learn / emulate to become great? 

And the question remains...

Fitting into someone's definition of greatness does not make one great. Emulating someone great does not make one great. Running after greatness does not make one great. 

So, what makes ne great?

What really is greatness?  

I feel...

And this is my opinion, just like there can be no one-size-fits-all meaning if life, there is no universal definition of greatness. Each person has to give meaning to one's life and each person becomes great in one's own unique way. Our greatness lies in our uniqueness.

It can lead to fame but it does not have to. One can be great and still be unknown.

It does not need validation from anyone. One can be ridiculed by the world and still be great. 

It does not depend on how much success one achieves. One can fail at everything and still be great.

A humble person can be great and a cocky show-off can be great too. 

I do not have a definition of what is greatness and maybe I never will. I do not know the ingredients of greatness. But what I know is that greatness comes from within. It comes by not running after it but is a result of being true to your self and being your true self. 

Just like satori or moksha, you find it by not looking for it.