On the Stephen A. Show, Stephen A. asked Three-time Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs Tightend Travis Kelce about the Chiefs’ possible Super Bowl Threepeat. The Threepeat is winning 3 consecutive Super Bowls, which has never been done in NFL history. Arguably, Travis is the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time) NFL Tightend. He will be a first ballot NFL Hall of Famer.
Travis framed their conversation. He said, “I’ve always been trying to chase greatness my entire life.” He acknowledged Andy Reid as “the greatest Coach”, at least for him. Andy will be a first ballot NFL Hall of Famer, too. Travis called his friend Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, “The best to ever do it.” Patrick Mahomes might be the next GOAT NFL Quarterback. Right now, retired Tom Brady is regarded as the GOAT. If Patrick accomplishes the Threepeat along with Andy Reid and Travis Kelce, he’ll likely solidify his status as the GOAT.
Of his chase for greatness, Travis said that you have to “Be greater than you have been in the past.” I have nothing but mad love and respect for Travis. It’s about becoming greater than he is now, greater than he was in the past. That makes Travis the GOAT. I’m not the GOAT of anything. Still like Travis, I work on becoming greater than I am now. I work on myself, not on others. That’s all I can do. I chase greatness, chase greater than I am now. No, I’ll never be the greatest. I just work on being the greatest that I can be.
I didn’t always chase greatness. I was the 8 year old kid, who got that I was not good enough, that I never would be. I was Dad’s greatest disappointment in life. I was not the son that he wanted. I would never be good enough for Dad. I would never be good enough for anyone, including me. I spent much of my adult life proving that I was good enough, that I was good enough to be loved. However, trying to be more of anything would never be enough. That’s just the human design.
In the First Noble Truth of Buddhism, there will always be suffering in life. The Fourth Noble Truth of Buddhism is the path to end suffering. On my path to end suffering, I trained in Aikido and participated in therapy.
I trained in Aikido with the late Mizukami Sensei for 25 years until he passed away. Sensei said, “Just train.” For the first time in my life, I didn’t have to prove anything or be someone else. I was safe being me. In Aikido, Sensei said, “Wait it out. Enter the attack. Take a glancing blow if you have to. You’re not always going to get away scot-free. It’s one time.” Sensei taught me that I take a risk, take a hit for what’s meaningful to me. Sensei was a father to me, teaching me to be a good man.
I’m Godan (5th degree black belt), because of Mizukami Sensei. In many ways, Sensei saved my life. He gave me life, too. Although Sensei passed away, he’s always inside me, always by my side. He makes me continually work on being a greater man, a better person.
Mizukami Sensei taught both Ishibashi Sensei and me. Now, Ishibashi Sensei teaches me. He’s my big brother. Sensei said, “The purpose of Aikido is to release your fear.” He said, “The safest place to be is under the attack, in the danger.” When the bigger stronger man punches at me, I wait it out. I enter the attack, enter what I fear, get in the danger. I hold my position. Make my timing.
In the center of the attack, in the danger, I apply nikkyo (wristlock) to myself and match the punch with yoko-iriminage (strike to the side of the head) of the attacker. I apply the technique to myself, not to the attacker. O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba said, “True victory is victory over oneself.” It’s me against me. I work on myself, not on the attacker, not on others.
I let got my fear inside that I’m not good enough. Although my fear inside never completely disappears, every time I enter the attack, enter what I fear, I let go more of my fear inside me. I free myself. I’m as great as I can be in the moment.
I work with my therapist Lance Miller to heal my childhood trauma and depression. I forgive Dad for not knowing how to raise me, for being afraid inside, and for being imperfectly human. I forgive myself for not being strong enough to stand up to Dad and protect Mom. I forgive myself for being imperfectly human, too. I love myself for who I am and forgive myself for who I’m not. I have nothing to do with what goes inside someone else. I have a say in what goes inside me. I work on myself, not on others. That’s all I can do. That’s all we can do.
In the bigger picture, Travis Kelce has chased greatness his entire life. Profoundly, he has arrived. He is great. He’s the GOAT. I have chased greatness differently in my own path. On my path, I let go my fear inside that I’m not good enough over, and over, and over again. Although I’ll never be the GOAT like Travis, we both have meaningful lives, have lives we love. Travis has the great love of his life Taylor Swift, too.
Chase greatness on your own path, in your own way. Just train. It’s not like you have to get somewhere or be someone else. Have a meaningful life, the life that you love. Amen.
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Photo: Gantas Vaičiulėnas on Unsplash
