What does it take to become great? To become truly an expert in any particular field? Michael Jackson once said in an interview; “To be great you must study the greats and do what they did and make it greater” I constantly refer back to this notion when discussing the psychology of greatness because it fascinates me. Michael Jackson sure did study the greats, such as James Brown, Jackie Wilson and many more. He took what they did, developed his own style and made it greater. Therefore, listen up IF YOU WANT TO MAKE IT BIG. LISTEN UP AND LISTEN AGAIN, STUDY THE GREATS WATCH THOSE WHO HAVE DONE IT BEFORE, AND ACHIEVED GREAT SUCCESS AND BE GREATER. 

Establish Your Ultimate Aims 

Decide on what it is exactly that you want to achieve, put it into a tangible form. For example write it down and superglue it your wall.  Once you have established your aims you can go on to the next step. 

Do Your Research 

This is where you study the greatest that ever did it. Do your research and seek out the best in your chosen field, find out who they are, study their life story. Research the methods they used to reach the levels of success that they reached. For example one very successful writer who worked her fingers to the bone to achieve her global success is Iyanla Vanzant. She may not be considered a great as of yet however she came from relatively humble beginnings, was a single mother and at one point she was homeless. However she believed in herself and she worked like nothing could stop her, like she was possessed with the thought of being a success. Even with a child to contend with on her own she never stopped writing. She never stopped researching, she used a phone box as her office phone when her phone line was cut off. This is a true example of against all odds. Not many people will face such hardships, however the point is if you want something bad enough nothing should stop you from getting it. Every person that has ever reached the top of their game have this same attitude in common. 

10,000 Hours of Practice 

I have mentioned this theory in prior studies, one of the purveyors of this idea although not coined by him is; Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell is a well known Sociologist and author who wholeheartedly believes in the theory that to become great at anything it requires 10,000 hours of practice. Therefore the bottom line is, reach that ultimate level of greatness you have to live and breathe it. If you want to be a musician then you have to live and breathe that, never stop practicing. A writer never stops writing, for example in my sleep I wake up to write my ideas down in a notebook next to my bed. I have always done this, however I never knew that I was actually practicing for greatness.  For example Rebecca Adlington the 19 year old swimmer who won Gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics had put in an estimated 8000 hours of practice before she won the coveted medal.