Good is the Enemy of the Great!

There used to be a Cultural Circle in our college. Among its most active members was an exceptionally talented girl who participated enthusiastically in every possible activity—academics, games, sports, and arts. Excellence had become her habit. Securing the first rank in almost everything seemed natural to her.

One day, however, we learned that she had developed a very close friendship with a boy from our college. He was a good singer—undeniably talented—but his focus was limited to singing alone. Unlike her, he was not excelling in all activities. Even in singing, he was among the top ten, whereas she often secured the first position.

Six months later, while we were having lunch together, the conversation drifted toward ambitions and future plans. That day, she said something that left us thoughtful. She said, “I have decided to focus entirely on singing. I already come first in studies and excel in sports and games too. Why shouldn’t I just sing and focus only on singing?” She meant that she would give singing the same amount of time she was already giving it and relax for the rest of the time.

Whenever we asked her how things were going, she would confidently reply, “Everything is just fine.” But believing “I am fine” can sometimes become an obstacle to truly being fine.

The problem was not that she wanted to sing. Singing well is not a flaw. The real issue was that within her existed multiple talents—gifts she had once done full justice to. She had the rare ability to shine wherever she stepped. Yet, after growing close to someone whose benchmark of “fine” was different from hers, her thinking slowly aligned with his. His standards began to shape her own.

For him, being among the top ten was satisfactory. For her, being first had once been natural. Yet she started accepting the same definition of “fine.” She did not realize that her “fine” could mean something far greater. She was capable of more—much more.

The thought, “I can do more than what I am currently doing. I am not fine with this level. I want to move ahead,” is what pushes a person from being fine to becoming great.

As rightly said, Good is the enemy of the Great.