Posted on 08/30/24
“Go Big or Go Home” is a phrase very much associated with Western culture and ideology. It is said that the origin was a product slogan in the 1990s for a motorcycle parts company that sold exhaust systems.
As humans, we have a tendency to be drawn after the “big” things! We are fascinated by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which has been the tallest building in the world since 2010. We are amazed by Mount Everest, standing at 29,032 feet, which is the tallest mountain in the world. We are in awe with the Antarctic Blue Whale (scientifically known as: Balaenoptera musculus ssp. Intermedia), the biggest animal on planet earth, weighing up to 400,000 pounds (approximately 33 elephants!) and reaching up to 98 feet in length.
We love looking at who is on top of the list, whatever that list might be. In terms of Forbes Richest (think Elon Musk), in terms of Home Runs hit (Barry Bonds holds the record at 762), in terms of longest home runs in MLB history (Babe Ruth, 575 feet), and so on.
And while we are on the topic of baseball for a moment, there was actually an article published on mlb.com recently about the pitching matchup between Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach and Minnesota Twins pitcher Simeon Woods-Richardson. According to research from Elias, it is the longest last name starting pitcher matchup on record, with a whopping 28 letters between the two!
“Go Big or Go Home” is both a cultural mindset and a societal outlook that has been etched into us from a very young age. We appreciate and admire the big things! If something is not in first place or at the top of the list, it tends to become a vestige of the forgotten realm.
My friends, of course big things are exciting to look at, read about, and talk about. Big moments – the one of a kind, the once in a lifetime, the once and for all, the big and the bold – make epic memories, experiences, and talking points. But, if we are honest with ourselves, they certainly do not tell the full story. You see, because life is filled with big moments and small moments (typically speaking, life has many more small moments than there are big moments).
Truly great people find the value in the small moments, in the every day, in the mundane. Greatness lies not at the height of the big stuff, but within the consistency and devotion towards the smaller things.
The Torah teaches us (12:28) – שמר ושמעת את כל הדברים האלה – Safeguard and listen to ALL these words that I am commanding you. Rashi teaches us that a minor mitzvah should be just as precious to you – חביבה עליך – as a major one.
Cherish the big things, of course. But never ever forget about the importance of the smaller and simpler aspects of your life.