成就偉大沒有捷徑
By Robert J. Tamasy
你渴望成就一番偉大的事業？你希望能領導一個好公司或是成為業界標竿的公司嗎？或者你希望被稱為一個傑出的領袖，被刊登在名人雜誌Who”s Who或是在時代雜誌上成為年度風雲人物？
又或者你只期待自己能像自己崇拜的對象一樣傑出？ 以我為例子，在寫作編輯和攝影之外，我最喜愛的嗜好就是音樂。在高中時代，我在樂儀隊裡打鼓，當時我非常崇拜一些世界級的鼓手，我常常心想：「真希望自己能打鼓打得像某人一樣好。」我想要有那樣的程度，但卻沒有付出必要的努力。
在組織策略家和執行教練史蒂芬.格雷夫斯Stephen R. Graves(註1)的網站上最近出現了一段關於領導的描述，他說：「通往偉大沒有捷徑。」我們無法一夜變成偉大的領袖，長時間的毅力和堅持才是王道。麥爾坎·葛拉威爾Malcolm Gladwell(註2)也說：「即使是那些我們稱他們是天才的神童，像比爾蓋茲、莫札特、披頭四，他們在成功之前所付出的時間和努力，也是我們一般人無法想像的。」最好的湯汁熬成需要時間慢慢地煮，這是無法速成的。偉大沒有捷徑。
大部分的人,連等微波爐熱菜都覺得不耐煩，也不喜歡等紅綠燈、排隊。也因此，在追求成功或是偉大的時候，我們經常拒絕投資必要的時間和毅力。我們要我們想要的-而且我們立刻就要。
有些人認為偉大不是努力得來的，像是大學文憑一樣或是薪水，而比較像是別人授與的。耶穌的兩個門徒雅各和約翰就曾經爭執誰能坐在耶穌的右邊，他們說：「賜我們在你的榮耀裏，一個坐在你右邊，一個坐在你左邊。」(馬可福音10章37節)耶穌回答說他們不知道自己所求的，「只是坐在我的左右，不是我可以賜的，乃是為誰預備的，就賜給誰。」(馬可福音10章40節)關於追求偉大，聖經提供我們一些原則：
成功需要時間。你是否納悶為什麼有人成功，而有些人沒有？我們應該問自己是否付出成功需要的努力？「殷勤人的手必掌權； 懶惰的人必服苦。」(箴言12章24節).
成功需要毅力。達到偉大需要堅強的意志去克服困難和忍受許多的逆境。「我的弟兄們，你們落在百般試煉中，都要以為大喜樂；因為知道你們的信心經過試驗，就生忍耐。但忍耐也當成功，使你們成全、完備，毫無缺欠。」(雅各書1章2-4節)
偉大需要正確的動機。我們要誠實地問自己尋求偉大的動機，是出自於驕傲或是因為想要榮耀神?當神忠心的好管家。「無論做甚麼，都要從心裏做，像是給主做的，不是給人做的，因你們知道從主那裏必得椾基業為賞賜；你們所事奉的乃是主基督。」(歌羅西書3章23-24節)
註1: 史蒂芬.格雷夫斯Stephen R. Graves的中文姓名是由cbmc總會自行翻譯，他的著作台灣沒有翻譯和出版，可參閱他的個人英文網站http://www.stephenrgraves.com/.
註2:麥爾坎·葛拉威爾Malcolm Gladwell目前是《紐約客》雜誌撰稿人及暢銷作家。有關他的介紹請參閱維基百科的資料https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%BA%A5%E7%88%BE%E5%9D%8E%C2%B7%E8%91%9B%E6%8B%89%E5%A8%81%E7%88%BE
勞勃．泰默西是領袖資產協會的傳播部副部長，這是一個總部在美國喬治亞州亞特蘭大的非營利組織。他寫過一本書「最佳狀態的商業：箴言給今日職場的歷久彌新智慧」（Business At Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today”s Workplace）；他也與David A. Stoddard合著一本書「導師之心」（The Heart of Mentoring），以及其他書籍。他的雙週部落格網址是：www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
省思／討論題目
你是否曾經渴望偉大？或者你現在正在追求它？分享你的理由和看法。 你覺得真正的偉大要如何達成？是「被賦與」或者如同本文所說的是「努力獲得」的？ 在你的看來，只追求個人、職業或是公司的偉大可能有甚麼缺點？ 我們要如何分辨自己想追求偉大的動機是否正當？要如何能避免錯誤的動機？
備註：如果你手中有聖經想要讀一讀更多與這個主題相關的經文，請參考：箴言10章4-5節、12章11節；14章23節、20章4節、22章29節；以弗所書2章10節；歌羅西書3章17節、23-24節
NO SHORTCUTS IN RECIPE FOR GREATNESS
By Robert J. Tamasy
Do you aspire to greatness? Would you like to lead a great company, or create a business that became the standard in the industry for excellence? Or would you like to gain acclaim for being a great leader, the kind of person whose name appears in the pages of a book like Who”s Who or be on the cover of TIME magazine as its “Person of the Year”?
Maybe you would simply like to be as skilled and accomplished as someone you highly admire. Besides writing, editing and photography, one of my primary interests has always been music. I played the drums in the high school marching and concert bands, and envied the talents of world-famous drummers. “I wish I could play the drums like that!” I often thought. But I wanted the results without the necessary effort.
On his website, organizational strategist and executive coach Stephen R. Graves recently this observation about leadership:
“There is no speed cooking in greatness. Becoming great won”t happen tomorrow; it is instead a long perseverance in the same direction. As Malcolm Gladwell has artfully observed, even those that we revere as geniuses and prodigies – Bill Gates, Mozart, The Beatles – all worked unbelievably hard for an incredible period of time before truly achieving greatness. The best soups simply have to sit and simmer. You cannot rush them. You cannot speed cook maturity. We must log the time.”
Many of us get impatient waiting for microwave ovens to heat our meals. We grow tired waiting for traffic lights to change. We detest waiting in lines. And too often, we refuse to invest the time and perseverance necessary for achieving greatness vocationally. We want what we want – and we want it right now!
It could be argued greatness is not so much earned – as with a college degree, or an hour wage – but rather bestowed. Two of Jesus” disciples, James and John, were seeking positions of greatness when they asked, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory” (Mark 10:37). After replying they had no idea what they were asking for, Jesus said, “to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared” (Mark 10:40).” Here are some biblical principles about the pursuit of greatness:
It takes time. When people wonder why someone has experienced great success when they have not, they should ask themselves, “Did I put forth the necessary effort?” “Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor” (Proverbs 12:24).
It takes perseverance. Attaining greatness requires willingness to confront obstacles and endure many kinds of adversity. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4).
It takes the right motivation. We should honestly ask ourselves why we seek greatness – out of pride, or out of a desire to honor God and be faithful stewards of all He has entrusted to us. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23-24).
© 2016. Robert J. Tamasy is vice president of communications for Leaders Legacy, Inc., a non-profit based in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. Bob has written Business At Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today”s Workplace; Tufting Legacies; and coauthored with David A. Stoddard, The Heart of Mentoring, as well as other books. His biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
Have you ever aspired to achieve greatness? Are you pursuing it right now? Explain your answer – and why? How do you think true greatness can be achieved – or bestowed – as this “Monday Manna” suggests is the way it should be done? What, in your opinion, are some possible pitfalls of seeking personal, professional or corporate greatness? How can we discern whether we are truly striving for greatness with this right motivations? What steps might you take to avoid pursuing it for the wrong reasons?
NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about this subject, consider the following passages: Proverbs 10:4-5, 12:11, 14:23, 20:4, 22:29; Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 3:17, 23-24
