The thread running through all of the essays is Rand’s definition of selfishness as ‘rational self-interest,’ with the idea that one has the right to assure one’s own survival, to pursue happiness, and to own the fruits of one’s labor without having to sacrifice any of these to others against one’s will.
You have to have some type of selfishness for anything you’re going to be successful at. Sometimes, selfishness is mistaken for arrogance or cockiness. But the business world is not humble and humble will not get you there in the business world. You have to have a certain drive and tenacity to survive and to thrive.
When you evaluate greatness, the great ones all hold a little bit of that selfish cockiness and a hint of arrogance.
Mohammad Ali, Billie Jean King, Air Jordan, Florence Joyner, Magic Johnson, Amanda Beard, Chad Johnson, star athletes — Selfishness?
Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Marilyn Monroe, Madonna, Burt Reynolds, movie stars — Cockiness?
Bobby Kennedy, Tom Bradley, Ronald Reagan, Hillary Clinton, Trump leaders — Arrogance?
What these individuals all have in common — is they’re electric. Their personalities are electric. And, their mannerisms are electric.
Ayn Rand wrote it best in, “The Virtue of Selfishness,” she had a very provocative thesis about ethics. She definitely promoted self-interest. My question is; how do you govern self-interest?
Well, that’s the difference between stars and superstars and being great. The great ones govern their own self-interest. Men like Bobby Kennedy and Mohammad Ali left measures of donated self-interest. They made a difference in simple lives.
And here is what the great ones have in common: they’re electricity lights up a room when they walk in. Like lightning. They are not just stars, they are the universe. Individuals whom if they weren’t chasing clocks or scoring points, they may sell more nuts and bolts than any individual in America. They would achieve their own greatness. Their arena may be an overseas factory or the top of a crane on a high-rise.
The thread that runs through all true, great stars that truly understand the value of rational self-interest is, they give and they help. They give selflessness — that’s their gift, so they have the true virtue of selfishness.
These individuals are the ones who make a difference at the local Boys and Girls Clubs, they support the Cheer Team, and they step up when a local girl is facing injustice and they help.
Recently, someone called my friend cocky, arrogant, and selfish, and the only word that came to mind for me was, jealous. And then I thought of the selfish, and the helping, giving star my friend is.
He is a star, he is a superstar . . . . . . with selfish greatness!
Speaking of measures left behind and true selflessness…her name was Charlene and I must confess, throughout my entire childhood and most of my adult life, I never knew it. She was always Kim’s mom, she was Mr. Stalcup’s wife, and she was Mrs. Stalcup. My family knew the Stalcups for over 50 years and I never realized her first name was Charlene. The spirit of respect never let me know her first name.
It was her 80th birthday and everyone kept calling out the name Charlene. I’m a little slow, but it finally hit me that Mrs. Stalcup was “Charlene.”
Charlene was probably fascinated with wolves, but she danced with the ants. She danced the ants right out of her kitchen. She could touch a Chewbacca dog’s face with utter love, and the creature would no longer chew on fences or tennis shoes.
Bottom-line: Charlene touched angels and children and our Valley is full of angels she touched.
Current Location: Corner of Gold Street and Silver Lane working out with Jack Lalanne, getting ready to play bridge with Mother Teresa.
See you soon Charlene, Mrs. Stalcup.