There’s a moment in the movie “The Legend of Bagger Vance” that says everything you need to know about GREATNESS.
Will Smith’s character, Bagger Vance, leans in and tells a young golfer:
“Yep… Inside each and every one of us is one true authentic swing…
Somethin’ we was born with…
Somethin’ that’s ours and ours alone…
Somethin’ that can’t be taught to ya or learned…
Somethin’ that got to be remembered…
Over time the world can rob us of that swing…
It get buried inside us under all our wouldas and couldas and shouldas…
Some folk even forget what their swing was like…”
That swing—your way of doing things—is the key.
People go online and begin copying what works for others, hoping it’ll work for them too. They chase what’s popular. What’s proven. What wins.
And in doing so, they forget the one thing that actually sets them apart:
Their own authentic swing.
RICK BARRY NEVER FORGOT HIS
While the basketball world shot free throws the “normal” way, Rick Barry went a different route—all the way back in 1962.
That’s when he first started shooting underhand free throws at the University of Miami, after his father convinced him it was simply more effective. Barry hesitated—like most would. It looked strange. It wasn’t what everyone else was doing.
But he tried it. And it worked. So he stuck with it.
From college in the early ‘60s through his final NBA season in 1980, Barry stayed committed to the technique—despite the mockery, despite the critics.
Career free throw percentage: 89.3%.
- At the time of his retirement, that was #1 all-time.
- Today, he still ranks #4 in NBA history.
For perspective:
- Michael Jordan: 83.5%
- Kobe Bryant: 83.7%
- LeBron James: 73.5%
Rick Barry out-shot all his free throws, by doing it his way.
And almost no one followed his example.
Why? Because it didn’t look cool. It didn’t look elite.
But Barry didn’t care about appearances. He cared about performance. He wasn’t chasing popularity. He was chasing precision.
The Easy Route? Imitation.
The Real Route? Ownership.
There’s no shortage of business coaches, influencers, and mentors handing out blueprints for how to be successful.
But none of them can hand you your swing.
Mentorship matters. Strategy matters. But if you really want to become elite, you have to do it your way.
People will cast judgment on:
- Your parenting
- Your leadership style
- Your relationships
- Your business model
- Your definition of success
Let them!
They don’t have your swing. They don’t carry your instincts. They weren’t born the way you were.
YOUR PURSUIT OF GREATNESS
Stop trying to look like the best. Start acting like YOUR best.
Your authentic swing is already inside you. It can’t be taught. It can’t be borrowed. It can only be remembered—and owned.
So stop letting the world bury it under all the wouldas, couldas, and shouldas.
Do it your way.
The real pursuit of greatness starts there.
