Years ago, the Dallas Cowboys played the Minnesota Vikings. NFL Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders matched up with NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss. At the time, Randy was the fastest, most explosive wide receiver in the game. Deion virtually invented the distinction shutdown corner. When Deion covered his man, he basically shut down half the field of play for the Quarterback throwing the football. Deion Sanders was the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time) NFL Cornerback.
What if we are as fast as we need to be? As strong as we need to be? As smart as we need to be? In the bigger picture, what if we are as good as we need to be? Is life really about being the greatest, about being the GOAT? Albeit, Deion’s as good as he needed to be, was the GOAT. After all, they’re not mutually exclusive. Yet, there’s only one GOAT. Just saying.
Maybe we are invalidated that we’re not the greatest, not the GOAT. Maybe even disappointed?
The Social Media Comparison Game on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms can be addictively seductive. O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba said, “True victory is victory over oneself.” I overcome me, not others. I work on me, not on them. In the bigger picture, I’m as good as I need to be. Just saying.
Many years ago, my Nidan (2nd degree black belt) Aikido test concluded with randori. In randori, 5 bigger, stronger black belts attacked, grabbing me in any possible way for a couple of minutes on the Dojo mat. No, I wasn’t the greatest. Hell no. I threw every other black belt, evaded, and ran to the open area on the mat to create space. Then I started all over again from my new zero. I was fucking tired from throwing black belts in one-on-one techniques for over an hour. Eventually, I would get caught in randori. By design, I would lose. Still, I was as good as I needed to be.
In the end, all 5 black belts caught me. I passed my Nidan test. Now, I’m Gondan (5th degree black belt). That Nidan test was about character, not perfect technique, not about winning. I held on longer than I thought that I could. No, I wasn’t the GOAT. Not even close. Yet, I was the greatest version of myself in that moment. I was as good as I needed to be.
I could obsess providing evidence that I’m greater than others. That maybe I’m the greatest? Mad love and respect to the late Muhammed Ali, who proclaimed himself, The Greatest. When I fail to attain that pinnacle, do I condemn myself as some pathetic loser? Hell no.
O-Sensei said, “True victory is victory over oneself.” It’s never about the comparison to others. I become greater than I am now, not greater than others.
The late Mizukami Sensei said, “There’s no competition in Aikido.” That makes Aikido the selfless path, the one of self-discovery, a difficult path to follow. Ishibashi Sensei reminds, “Apply the technique to yourself.” I work on myself, not on others. As I work on myself, the possibility arises for others to do the same: Just train.
On Match dot com, I participate in online dating. I’m not rich. I’m 5’ 3”. I’m not handsome. I don’t look like Hugh Jackman or Michael B. Jordan. Still, I’m as authentic as I can be. I’m as good as I need to be. So far, I’ve dated some wonderful women.
I look through my Match profile recommendations and send messages to women I would like to meet. I get far more flat out rejections than gracious replies. Nothing’s personal. The late Mizukami Sensei might have said, “Jon, just train.” So, I grind out. I make it work. It’s not like I have to get somewhere. It’s not like I have to meet someone, either. Just saying.
Maybe all of us in some way, aspire to be the greatest, to be the GOAT. That’s just being human, being imperfectly perfect, as Cheryl Hunter would say. When we don’t attain those lofty heights, do we dismiss ourselves? Hell no.
In the bigger picture: Did you dare to fail bravely? Did you gain humility from success? Did you get what to work on next from failure? Were you as authentic as you could be? Were you as good as you needed to be?
We can’t all be the GOAT. After all, there’s only one of those. We might not be as great as we want to be, either. We can be as good as we need to be. That’s good enough. Just saying.
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