Written by This summer, Simone Biles is putting on a show for the ages. Already, she has dazzled us with a Yurchenko Double Pike at the U.S. Classic competition and a stunning floor exercise at the U.S. Championships last Sunday. And the big show is yet to come. However, what Biles is doing outside of the gym may be making her highest mark.
The words “great,” “greatest,” and “greatness” are highly overused today. They typically are defined as being large, powerful, or important. If you are great, you are better than others. We view our side as the greatest. We are very biased in what we consider to be “great.” That makes sense. We all have unique values and opinions on what is most important.
Often, it is not enough to be the greatest. You have to be the GOAT, the “greatest of all time.” Unfortunately, our culture is obsessed with arguing over this topic. Michael or LeBron? Tiger or Jack? Sure, Tom Brady is the GOAT now, but will Patrick Mahomes win even more Super Bowl rings? It is hard to turn on ESPN without hearing a debate over some variation of this discussion. Stephen Curry had a great year, but his team didn’t make the playoffs, so I guess he wasn’t great enough. It’s exhausting.
I would prefer if we were more focused on being great rather than worry about being the greatest. I have always wanted to be great, and it has been a motivation for me. It is a desire that makes me work harder to achieve my goals and be “the best I can be.” Unfortunately, trying to be the greatest involves comparing myself to others, which always leads to trouble. It sends you down the path of being judgemental. First, you are hard on yourself, and then your perfectionism makes you hard on those around you. If we stick to being great, we can appreciate all other greats rather than compete against them. So, great is greater than greatest.
Then, greatness is greater than all. I prefer Dr. Stephen Covey’s definition. Many of us have read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I spent years mastering these skills, putting first things first, beginning with the end in mind, thinking “win-win,” etc. But, do you know there is an eighth habit? In his sequel, The 8th Habit, he describes going from effectiveness to greatness as “find your voice and inspire others to find theirs.” This habit requires vision, discipline, passion, and conscience.
Using that definition narrows the playing field, especially in sports. For example, Muhammed Ali was a great boxer who became the greatest of all time. However, by standing up for his beliefs, he demonstrated greatness. He inspired a generation. Despite numerous flaws, Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan have taken steps to inspire others by their example later in life through encouragement as they inspired us during their professional careers with their achievements. Tom Brady continues to defy aging and makes us all consider making healthier decisions.
Biles has been great for a long time. She has been dominant in her sport for eight years, and her accomplishments in the 2016 Rio Olympics elevated her to GOAT status. Simone was effective. She did everything she thought she was supposed to do. She followed the rules and was a team player, even when abused. Unfortunately, USA Gymnastics and the Karolyi’s were calling all of the shots and held too much power. Larry Nassar’s unforgivable crimes have forever stained the sport.
How Biles has responded has transcended her into greatness. First, she acknowledged that she was a victim of Nassar’s sexual abuse and the emotional abuse of the Karolyis. Then, she held USA Gymnastics accountable for being complicit with their silence.
Ultimately, Biles decided to find her voice. It had to be an excruciating decision to continue with the sport. But she wasn’t going to let the actions of others keep her from achieving her goals. She decided to train for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and cement her legacy by challenging herself to accomplish more Yurchenkos than the human body is supposed to handle. The one-year delay has further complicated her situation.
Simone is calling the shots now. She has taken ownership of her career and her story. Biles has emerged from the Karolyis’ shadow and doesn’t fear USA Gymnastics, as they need her much more than she needs them. Simone uses her voice and celebrity to record what happened to her and the other athletes victimized by Nassar. Her 60 Minutes interview was jaw-dropping. Biles is outspoken concerning her depression following the 2016 Olympics and is quick to credit her work with a psychologist as a critical part of her training.
Additionally, Biles is controlling her narrative. Next week, her docuseries “Simone vs Herself” will be released on Facebook Watch. Tom Brady’s company produced it and is the third installment of the “Versus” series, following “Tom vs Time” and “Stephen vs The Game.” Simone is hanging out with the GOATs.
Biles has announced her “Gold Over America Tour” this fall in what may be her boldest move. It is a “celebration of female athletes” presented by Athleta, who now sponsors Biles after her high-profile breakup with Nike. Typically, USA Gymnastics organizes these tours. Not this time. Simone is in charge and doesn’t need a go-between.
Let’s hope that the Tokyo Olympics are a go for this year. It may be the last time we get to watch the greatest gymnast of all time perform. We probably won’t be able to name all of the jumps she makes, even if we can see them. But we know they will be great. Lucky for us, Simone Biles is only 24, and we will be able to observe her greatness for many years to come.