What Constitutes True Greatness?

I Studied +150 Inspirational People, Startups & Companies. Here’s WHAT I Learned.

Greatness — just about the most infatuated word largely synonymous with the degree of personal achievement. Like the words “success, happiness, and self-worth” the word “greatness” is subjected to personal interpretation, yet if you asked a large group of people, their answers as to whom they considered great would be oddly similar. Then, we might ask: What are the common denominators that underline greatness through the lens of history? The following article aims to answer just this key consideration.

P1: Personal vs Social Greatness

Is greatness a personal standard of excellence or a social exemplification of moral virtue? For the past year, I have taken a look at over 100 inspirational people and companies I deem “great” in an attempt to arrive at a point where I could claim I knew what greatness encapsulates. The research study showed 2 major findings:

1. Greatness can only be a reflection of what you value. Greatness is a personal endeavor where we use confirmation bias to seek people, concepts, and organizations that reflect our own set of values. Some of my values are honesty and hard work which is why I deemed the likes of Paul Graham and Gandhi as great people. Strikingly, people often share similar values, leading them toward similar ideals of greatness.
2. In order to manifest social…