Objective systems

What makes great people great? Whether it be in a profession (an athlete, doctor, or musician) or in life in general (better parent, friend, or spouse). I would argue they apply an objective system to their lives and follow every intrinsic detail of it. They, more often than not, take their subjective opinions out of the equation and only focus on an objective truth. As with every rule, there are exceptions, but in general I believe this holds to be true. Once people master the system, is only when they start to bring their subjective opinions into the equation.

Lets take Larry Bird for example (I would use Tom Brady but I know my friend Mike would hammer me with Bledsoe propaganda!). There is no argument he was one of the best basketball players ever. Did he have natural talent, of course. But what made him become one of the best? The best free throw shooter? The best ball handler? He would practice the fundamentals of the system over and over again and never stopped. He was driven to be the best within the system of basketball and didn't say, "well I am good enough at X so I will do it my way" until he mastered all the fundamentals.

Another example is my favorite rock band, Phish. Again, what made a bunch of college students froms UVM the top grossing touring band with little to no radio airtime and minimal album sales? They stuck to the fundamentals of music and practiced liked work horses until they were good enough to invent their own style of music.

So where am I heading with all of this? In order to be the best person you can in life you need to stick to the basics, master the objective truths, and then, only then, move to incorporate your opinion on how to do things. I have seen numerous examples of this in sports or business (I am guilty of this mentality as well), that I know the best therefore whatever someone else says which may be a fundamental truth, is old/antiquated and cannot possibly help me.

Stick to the objective system, master it and allow it to re-wire how you think, perceive things, and act, then begin to re-incorporate yourself back into the equation. This, in my humble opinion, is the secret to achieving true greatness in life.