am I great yet?

“Greatness isn’t handed to you!” she urged from the stage, as she addressed a room full of self-proclaimed future billionaires. One thousand of them.

I saw only a clip of her talk, but assume, having myself once sat in similar rooms, she was imparting to these women that greatness must be taken or earned.

Okay fine. Let’s pretend this is true. What does “greatness” even mean in this context?

Is greatness having your own pedestal to stand on, and enough cash on hand to feed several small nations like her? Is it possessing a grandiose life purpose, accompanied by a mission to change the world? Is it flying on private jets, whilst wearing the latest high-end fashions?

Is it having a million followers, nurturing the right contacts, climbing revered ladders, building a profitable business, writing a bestselling novel, making lucrative investments, donating money, or doing volunteer work at local charities?

How many accomplishments must a gal tick off her list before she can know for certain that her greatness has been secured?

Is there a finish line on a crowded street, with tape she soars through in slow motion, as onlookers uproariously applaud her super-human feat? In her post-event interview, she’s asked, “What is it like to finally be great?” She replies earnestly with her hand on her heart, “It’s hard to put into words, Mabel… but I suppose you could say that as my foot crossed that finish line I realized my life was finally worth living.”

This is indeed great for her, because whenever she’s feeling down and all meaning has been lost, the only thing she must do to soothe herself is gaze upon that glimmering trophy perched proudly on her mantle…

And be careful to never ever ask herself, “Who decided a woman dwelling in a towering box on the hill is greater than a woman who wanders the streets below?”

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