There is a woman in Hongkong named Nina Wang, and she's plopping down one billion dollars cash, from her 3.1 billion dollar personal fortune, to erect the tallest skyscraper in Hongkong. The 1,640 foot building will be called Nina Tower, of course. Construction should be complete by the year 2000. She told London's The Times she's willing to fork over 1/3rd of her personal fortune because "I like being able to look up and say, 'That's my building.'"
Now compare Nina's game plan to another game plan being played out right next to Mount Rushmore, in South Dakota's Black Hills.
In 1949 a man named Korczak Ziolkowski used $10 cash, from his personal fortune of $174, to begin blasting a granite mountain into the largest sculpture the world has ever seen. The sculpture is of the legendary Indian Crazy Horse, and it will stand 563 feet tall. Korczak's sculpture has no completion date estimate because it will depend on many factors such as money, weather and peoplepower. Korczak began his sculpture figuring he would not be able to complete it in his lifetime.
He was right. He died in 1982 at the age of 74, after working on the mountain for 37 years. His wife, children, and grandchildren continue his work today. When asked why he was willing to dedicate the rest of his life to the monument, his favorite reply was, "My sculpture will tell the story of a legend for millions of years. You know there's that old saying, 'Without legends, dreams die. When dreams die, there is no opportunity for greatness.'"
I'd rather spend a day with Korczak.
Nina has so much money she can pay for her skyscraper and still have enough to play high stakes poker with Bill Gates. Korczak had basically no money when he began, and twice turned down 10 million dollar funding offers from the government, because he worried that government involvement would jeopardize not only the sculpture's completion, but also its cultural and educational goals.
Nina will probably scoop a shovel full of dirt to ceremonially kick off construction, but after that she won't lift a finger to aid in the building of her building. Korczak, on the other hand, worked alone the first five years removing the first 630,000 tons of granite with one small jackhammer. He continued to work on the sculpture, through four back surgeries and a quadruple heart by-pass operation, 'til his death.
Nina dreams of having her own skyscraper; and she wants it named after her. Korczak dreamed of a humanitarian project that would tell present and future generations the story of the Indian, and it would not be called Korczak's Place.
The Crazy Horse monument is a matter of months away from its 50 year progress mark, and the nine story face is basically completed. Ten million tons of the mountain have been chiseled away and you can even see the outline of the arm and horse head. In other words, the sculpture is coming true and it's fantastically inspiring.
Ziolkowski's 'larger than life' project got me thinking about the word greatness. On the index page of these columns is the quote by Chief Justice Sherman Finesilver, "Greatness is a measure in one's spirit, not in the results of one's rank in human affairs." And I will end this column with 'Until next week, be great.' These two references are there to remind us that every day is an opportunity to be great. You don't have to erect a skyscraper to be great. You are great on days that you put your heart, soul and sweat into a goal you consider magnificent. You don't need to amass a financial fortune to be great. You are great on the days you sacrifice for a greater good. You don't need to achieve your dream job to be great. You are great on the days that you're trying for your dream job, and on days that you're helping someone else improve their life.
People have a misconception about being great. Seems that most people think they can only hope to be great someday. Wrong. You are already great, it is just a matter of exercising your greatness daily. You were born great. But if you don't act great, really often, your whole body, mind and soul forgets how great you are. Greatness isn't a status that might someday be bestowed upon you- your title to forever keep. Greatness is a way of life. Attitude. Action. Spirit. Soul. Imagination. Inspiration. Curiosity. Creativity.
It's so interesting to me. Nina looks super successful; Ziolkowski doesn't (his dream may never be completed, the man didn't make much money, and he didn't win many awards). But, Ziolkowski seems great, while Nina comes off just below ordinary.
Maybe we should all ask ourselves often, 'What are we aiming for, success or greatness?' It looks to me like a lifetime of success adds up to early inactivity, selfishness, and too much stuff. While a lifetime of greatness results in legends.
Until next week, be great.
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Hot Tip:
You can lend a hand to the Crazy Horse dream by joining the Crazy Horse Grass Roots Club. Membership: $25 a year (or however much you care to contribute). Send to: Crazy Horse Memorial, Ave. of the Chiefs, Crazy Horse, SD 57730-9506; phone (605) 673-4681 or email them. Support Great Big Dreamers!
Wild factoid:
Crazy Horse was known to constantly tell his people, "I will return to you someday in stone."
If you know what you want to do, are willing to work hard enough and pay the price, you can accomplish anything you want in this world.
- The philosophy shared by Korczak Ziolowski and his wife Ruth.
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