Last night the Golden State Warriors played the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 National Basketball Association (NBA) Final Championship game. There was so much hype around game seven because the Cavaliers hadn’t won an NBA Championship in 52 years and the Golden State Warriors were trying to accomplish winning 2015, 2016 back-to-back Championship NBA titles. The winning team in this final championship series would not only be the NBA champs, but they would also have bragging rights to match the games’ outcome.

Both teams are powerhouses within their own right. Each team has players that work well together while pulling their own weight as individual superstars. There is no question that these two teams deserved to have their place in the NBA playoffs. They are teams who have superstars with natural and technical skills that seem like they could be imitated but never duplicated. They also have trustworthy players who play amazing supporting roles on the court. These teams simply represent the epitome of the NBA best in 2016.

When the game clock read zero seconds and the game had ended, the Cleveland Cavaliers had beat the Golden State Warriors by three points. Everyone had something to say about the outcome. The Cleveland fans were able to kick-off their week by celebrating while the Golden State Warriors fans, would be questioning the outcome of the game by analyzing each player and the final play-by-plays.

After the game, I looked on Facebook to congratulate a friend who is a huge Cleveland Cavaliers fan. I sent him a congratulatory message and decided to read a few comments that people were writing about the game. Another one of my friends made a comment that made me think. He wrote that he didn’t like and would never like LeBron James, also known as "King James," of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Lebron James was named MVP in the finals. My friend further explained himself by stating that he also would never, ever deny LeBron James’ greatness! I was fascinated with this lesson that spoke truth on so many levels.

In life, everyone will not like you or support you, but that cannot take away your greatness! When a person challenges himself/herself by perfecting his/her craft to produce outstanding outcomes in the professional field they are pursuing, their dreams or service to others, they have reached greatness. There is no sufficient substitute for it. Greatness is greatness. Often times, people who are directly or indirectly involved in our lives will express dislike, demonstrate rudeness and might negatively talk about you. Hardships and obstacles are placed in your life for you to overcome through hard work and perseverance. Focusing on the negative aspects of our journey can easily redirect our focus away from our foundation blocks. Greatness is never reached alone! We often stand on faith, our blessings and people who love us, make sacrifices for us and want the best for us. They help carry us when we feel too tired, weak or discouraged to move forward. They encourage us to shine, so we can remain on the path towards our greatness.

When you are motivating yourself to be the best version of yourself while being wonderful, kind, and good-spirited, your greatness will shine brighter! Like the NBA finals, many people compete in life for the best, biggest, brightest and outstanding positions, materialistic things and prestige. Some people like myself choose to compete against ourselves for personal, professional and spiritual growth. When you reach your measure of greatness in your personal journey, it is beautiful. Greatness is special, it is admirable, but it can also be humble. It can be loud or silent. It can be colossal or modest. Don’t let anyone try to minimize your greatness! When you work hard and accomplish your dreams or goals, celebrate yourself and be your biggest fan. Be your best you because true greatness cannot be denied.