Sebastian Marshall’s podcast (episode 18) contained an interesting question.
When told that someone is really good, his response is a question: good on a normal scale or good on the elite scale?
You’re a good basketball player. Really good. In what context? Normal person good means something different than NBA good. And even NBA players—who are elite by any standard you care to use—can’t measure up to the truly elite-elite scale where you find Kobe Bryant, Kareem, and the like.
Shooting for really, really good in the real world and by the real world’s scale is a fine accomplishment. So is shooting for elite performance.
Just know how you are judging your performance.
The natural inclination is to go for elite performance. But is that what I want? Really? Am I willing to do what elite performers do, just as table stakes? Not even to dominate, just to be in the game.
There is something in me that says I would rather be in the bottom decile of elite than the top 1% of ordinary. It’s just a hunger. I can’t explain why.
Am I willing to put some muscle behind that arrow?