Have you ever heard someone refer to someone as the G.O.A.T.? It’s not an insult. It’s a supreme compliment. You see G.O.A.T. is an acronym for the “Greatest Of All Time.” The first G.O.A.T. I can remember was Muhammad Ali. He never used the term G.O.A.T. Rather he said plainly, “I am the greatest of all time.” Hubris not withstanding, he was pretty great.
Lot’s of G.O.A.T.s
There’s lots of G.O.A.T.s out there, depending on who you ask. Some say Michael Jordan is the G.O.A.T. and when it comes to basketball, that’s kind of hard to argue with. On the other hand, many are ready to hand that title over to LeBron James. Who is right? Who knows? I heard a story once of a reporter asking Michael Jordan who would win a game between the Chicago Bulls of his day and Lebron’s Lakers of today. Jordan thought a moment and said, “My Bulls would win, but only by two to four points.” The reporter replied, “Why so close?” Jordan replied, “Well we’re all about 60 years old.” Okay that was a joke, but it brings about the point. G.O.A.T. is a subjective term.
My G.O.A.T.
My G.O.A.T. would be found in a band. The band I consider to be the greatest of all time are three guys from Canada who went by the name Rush. To my mind they are hard to argue with. Geddy Lee sang played bass, all while triggering keyboards with his feet, and his were not simple bass parts, The man used the whole fretboard all the time. Their Drummer Neil Peart is widely regarded as the G.O.A.T. when it comes to rock drummers. His solos were something to behold and his cerebral lyrics made Rush’s music immensely unique. Guitarist Alex Lifeson is an incredibly inventive player, who seemed to know how to make it all work together, while playing amazingly intricate parts. These were three virtuoso players and yet they all made it work together for 40+ years and their live shows were incredible.
Are They the G.O.A.T.?
I think they are the Greatest Band of All Time. I think they are better than the Beatles and all the others that came before. And yes I know I just uttered musical blasphemy for some, but that’s how I feel. Remember G.O.A.T. is subjective. I also think they surpass all that have come after. That is after all what the term G.O.A.T. means, right? And I think the members of the band would appreciatively scoff at what I just said. They might even point out that were it not for bands like the Beatles, who inspired them, Rush might never have existed as a band. Who am I to argue with the G.O.A.T.?
Why I’m Not the G.O.A.T.
Having seen Rush live for the first time at the ripe old age of 16, let me know what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a musician, just like my new musical hero Geddy Lee. I failed miserably. I had the desire to play like Geddy, but you don’t do that overnight, and I had no patience to muddle through the “easy stuff” to get to that level. Eventually I gave up and that was for the best. Music is not my forte, but I think I would have been more successful if I had just stopped trying to emulate the G.O.A.T.
Chances Are You’re Not the G.O.A.T.
Neither was Ali. Jordan probably wasn’t either and neither is Lebron, and yes, not even Rush. Even the ones who rise to the highest heights, are just building on the work of those who came before. When it comes to the future, someone will likely come along who will surpass us, and deep down inside, we want that, or else that realm of culture will stagnate. No one wants that. I think we all desire to see our favorite things build and expand and grow. Maybe to get there we need to let greatness go.
Forget the G.O.A.T. Be the B.A.B.Y.
Maybe instead of trying to be the G.O.A.T., we should shoot for being the B.A.B.Y. I know that acronym is lacking something but let’s face it, so is G.O.A.T. B.A.B.Y. stands for Best At Being Yourself. It implies the very thing that God calls us to do. To faithfully bring your best to every situation. making the most of every opportunity. I love that, If you aspire to be the G.O.A.T, you would have to protect your territory, butting heads with anyone who comes along, trying to maintain dominance. I can think of few things more harmful to living a creative life. Being the B.A.B.Y. is different, it implies that we have not arrived, and that we need to continue to grow, and expand and explore, and we will for the rest of our lives. Ultimately isn’t that our calling anyway.
Greatness Is Exhausting
A G.O.A.T. mentality is extremely limiting and it’s a scarcity mentality. After all there can only be one G.O.A.T. but there’s a lot of art out there to made and a lot of needs to be met. Fortunately there’s billions of B.A.B.Y.s out there looking for opportunities to do the best they can to make a difference. They are out there learning and growing. They’re too busy doing good to worry about whether or not they are the G.O.A.T. And let’s face it. The One who created it all is the ultimate G.O.A.T. The position of G.O.A.T. is taken.
Maybe that’s part of the reason Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven… If you want to be great in God’s Kingdom, let go of greatness, and be the B.A.B.Y., then give your best and keep growing every day.
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