Video Transcript

Edmund: Back in 1983, Dave Mustaine was playing guitar in a heavy-metal band preparing to record their first album. After the band drove to New York, they told Dave he had been kicked out of the band. Dave decided to continue pursuing his dream of becoming a successful musician, but became obsessed with the idea of outshining his previous band. This revenge-fueled obsession drove his work ethic and honed a singular focus. And today, many people consider Dave Mustaine as an extremely talented and influential musician. His band, Megadeth, sold more than 25 million albums. 

And remember the band Dave Mustaine was kicked out of? Well, that band was a little band called Metallica. Metallica went on to sell more than 180 million albums, won nine Grammys (and was nominated twenty three times), and ranks as one of the most commercially successful bands of all time.

Dave admitted later in life that he still considered himself a failure, even after all the success he had. He was still, after all these years, focusing his energy on one thing: outshining Metallica. And this colored the way he interpreted his own happiness and success as a musician. 

In 1962, another man, Pete Best, was drumming in a small band on the verge of recording their first album. Right before recording began, he was kicked out of the band and replaced with none other than Ringo Starr. Pete Best continued to be involved in music, but shifted his focus. Pete got married and started a family. And as his focus shifted away from music and more towards his wife and kids, he still remained active in music, but never achieved anything like the success of Dave Mustaine. And he definitely didn’t achieve success like the band he was kicked out of, which was none other than the Beatles. 

After Pete Best left the Beatles, they went on to become one of the most successful and influential bands of all time. It’s estimated they sold more than 600 million albums worldwide. 

In 1994 in an interview, Pete Best said if he had stayed with the Beatles, he never would have met his wife or had kids. And he said that getting kicked out of the Beatles was one of the best things that ever happened to him. He was able to create a stable and happy life, and feels grateful for how his life played out. 

So what can we learn from these two stories? They are similar situations, but the two individuals had very different reactions.  The difference between Pete Best and David Mustaine seems to be what they decided to make the most important thing in their life. Deciding what our highest priority is in life can have a huge impact on how we view the world, react to situations, and live our lives finding happiness.

The same holds true in sports. Even when athletes at the highest levels achieve similar levels of success, the one thing they focus on above everything else can be very, very, different. 

In business, sports, and in life, it’s not just what you do but why you do it that matters. And your most important “why” not only affects the success you achieve, but also how you experience that success. 

Take Kobe Bryant, for example. A shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, he was known for his relentless work ethic, intense competitiveness, and a desire to be remembered as one of the greatest players in basketball history. His motivation was deeply tied to his personal legacy and the pursuit of individual excellence. Kobe’s success included five NBA championships, numerous accolades, and a lasting impact on the game. However, his unyielding pursuit of greatness took a toll on his personal life, and he often expressed a complex relationship with satisfaction despite his remarkable achievements.

In contrast, Tim Duncan, a power forward and the cornerstone of the San Antonio Spurs, was motivated by loyalty, teamwork, and the love of the game. Duncan’s success was also notable, with five NBA championships, multiple MVP awards, and a reputation as one of the greatest power forwards in history. But his motivations were grounded in a commitment to his team and a focus on collective success rather than personal accolades. It’s interesting that Duncan seemed to find a deeper sense of satisfaction in the team’s achievements, which created a more balanced and contented perspective on his successful career as he looked back.

While both Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan achieved similar success on the basketball court, their different motivations influenced how they experienced and found satisfaction in their accomplishments. We might say that Kobe Bryant pursued personal greatness above all else, while Tim Duncan pursued love of the game through teamwork. Bryant’s pursuit of individual greatness brought with it a more complex emotional journey, whereas Duncan’s team-oriented approach contributed to a seemingly more content and grounded perspective.

At the end of your life, it really matters why you did the things that you did. This “why” comes from the one thing you believe is the most important thing. There are so many options for what we can focus on above all else, that thing that motivates ALL of our decisions, whether it’s wealth, safety, happiness, family, love, beauty, truth, pride, honor, or pleasure. The Christian philosopher Kierkegaard once said “To be a saint is to will THE ONE THING.”

What motivates and drives you? What is the ONE THING that can explain all of your decisions, that pushes you forward, that orients and directs your entire life?

When you look back on your life, will you be satisfied with the one thing you’ve oriented and directed your life towards? Is it big enough, inspiring enough, fulfilling enough? And what one thing could be that big?