Do You Want to Be Good or Great? How much we achieve begins with what we set out to do.

By Grant Cardone Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Photography by Emma Sutcliffe | Getty Images

Do you want to be more motivated in life? Quit settling for good. All of us have the potential for greatness. Every day I strive for how can I be greater. How can I be great, not good? How can I have a great marriage, not a good marriage? How can I be a great dad, not just a good one?

What do you end up with when you're going for good? You get something less than good or maybe good. Everybody knows nothing happens with just good. Nobody reports on good. They report on great. If you're going to have a marriage and you're going to be married to the same person for what 30, 40, 50 years, do you want a good marriage or a great marriage? It's all up to you.

Related: 8 Reasons Married Entrepreneurs Are More Likely to Succeed

What's your target, good or great? Look, don't settle for good when you can be great. Just make a decision. It doesn't mean you're going to succeed today. It doesn't even mean you're going to be good at it today. But go for great every day. You've got to keep that in front of your face. If you think good is your target, you might end up with less than good. If you think great is the target, good you will attain.

Think about it in sales -- do you want good sales or great sales? There is a big difference between the good salesperson and the great salesperson. There's also a difference between a good closer and a great closer. What is the difference?

Commitment.

To be great at anything you must devote yourself completely. If you are a business owner you need to devote yourself, your energy and your resources to that business. Commit: to pledge or bind (a person or an organization) to a certain course. But how does one commit 100 percent? The first step I take is to eliminate any and all other options and devote myself completely to learning everything I can about the topic.

Related: What Bad Managers, Good Managers and Great Managers Do

You need to be a fanatic. I discontinue looking at other options. Don't be the guy who keeps looking to the neighbor's lawn to see how the grass is greener "over there." That's the same person who never commits to taking care of the lawn he already has. He just ends up mediocre and miserable.

Lawns are green because somebody committed to them. Committing is when you make a firm decision. I would rather commit to the wrong thing all the way than commit to the right thing halfway. Commit and be done with it! Whenever I commit fully to any line of action I get immediate results. When I'm not committed 100 percent I find that results are delayed or non-existent.

Great athletes know there is a difference between good and great. Muhammad Ali said he was the greatest. A good quarterback may make the NFL, but it takes a great quarterback to win five Super Bowls like Tom Brady. Michael Jordan was great, Beethoven was great, and Muhammad Ali was great. The difference between good and great is a different level of commitment. The greats train like fanatics.

Related: Muhammad Ali's Greatest Quotes of All Time

Having been in sales and business for over 30 years, I know the difference between good and great and I want to help you become great. I've codified it all in my Playbook to Millions.

Be great.

Grant Cardone

International Sales Expert & $1.78B Real Estate Fund Manager

Grant Cardone is an internationally-renowned speaker on sales, leadership, real-estate investing, entrepreneurship and finance whose five privately held companies have annual revenues exceeding $300 million.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

Many Small Business Owners Are Still 'Optimistic,' According to a New Survey

A new report from GoDaddy found that despite the current economic climate, 66% of small business owners surveyed still have "positive revenue expectations."

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Warren Buffett Says to Forget About 10,000 Hours of Practice — If You Want to Master Something, Do This Instead

At the 2025 Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting, the "Oracle of Omaha" described the systematic approach to success that has worked so well for him over his storied career.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Business News

Klarna Is Hiring Customer Service Agents After AI Couldn't Cut It on Calls, According to the Company's CEO

Klarna released an AI chatbot and implemented an AI-induced hiring freeze last year.

Business News

FedEx Board Member Selected as New Postmaster General

Former Waste Management CEO David Steiner has been selected as the country's 76th Postmaster General.