Success comes with a price—and most people don’t realize what they’re signing up for when they say, “I want to build a business,” “I want to be a leader,” or “I want to make an impact.” In this episode, we unpack the good problems that come with chasing greatness—the late nights, the tough decisions, the criticism, the pressure. Inspired by a powerful moment from Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, we’re flipping the script on struggle and embracing the fine print of ambition. Because when you declare, “I want to be great,” you’re also saying, “Bring me the weight that comes with it.”You asked for this—and trust me, you’re going to be just fine.
Chapter 1: What does it mean to chase greatness?
Welcome to the Ryan League podcast where we keep it short and sweet. And today we are going to be talking about something that a lot of people don't realize when they set their sights on greatness. I recently saw a clip of the Boston Celtics head coach, Joe Mazzulla. And in this interview, he said something that really stuck with me. The host was talking about Jason Tatum, his best player.
Chapter 2: What mindset shift did Coach Mazzulla highlight?
And this is what the interviewer said. He said, it seems to me like Jason has to deal with a lot of criticism. But before he could even finish his thought, Coach Mazzulla interrupted him and he says, gets to. He gets to deal with a lot of criticism. And I just thought, man, like that is such an interesting way of seeing that. That's a massive mindset shift right there.
Mazula went on to say, we talk about this with him all the time. And then he used this phrase and it really stuck with me. He says, speaking about Jason, he said, you asked for this. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, you asked for this. You asked for this when you said you wanted to be the best player in the NBA, on the best team in the NBA. And I thought in that moment, yeah, that's it.
Chapter 3: What is the fine print of ambition?
That's the fine print of ambition. Because when you're chasing greatness, when you declare to the world, I want to be the best, you're also saying, bring me the really good problem. You don't just get to sign up for the accolades. You're signing up for the late nights, the tough decisions, the public scrutiny.
You're signing up for the days when you are questioning yourself but still have to show up like you own the room. Most people don't realize what they're actually signing up for when they say, I want to build a business. They see the success stories, the financial freedom, The glossy Instagram post of someone working from a beach somewhere. But behind the scenes? Come on, man.
Chapter 4: What challenges come with entrepreneurship?
A thriving business comes with good problems. The kind that keep you up at night. You're responsible for payroll, even when cash flow is tight. You're making decisions that affect people's lives, their families, their careers. You're constantly solving problems. Problems you didn't even know existed when you first started. Growth isn't just exciting, it's exhausting.
Chapter 5: What responsibilities do leaders bear?
But you asked for this when you said you wanted to be an entrepreneur. Leadership has a whole different weight. When someone says, I want to be a leader, I don't think they fully grasp what they're walking into. A C-suite leader isn't just calling the shots. They are carrying the burden of every decision, every failure, and every person who depends on the organization's success.
Chapter 6: How does leadership change as you rise?
The higher you go, the lonelier it gets. You don't get to vent down. You don't get to make emotional decisions. You don't get to take a break from being the person people look to for direction. But you asked for this when you said you wanted that promotion. Or maybe you say, I just really want to make an impact. That sounds noble.
But when you gain influence, when your platform grows, so do the expectations. A large following means you can't just say whatever you want whenever you want. Your words are scrutinized. You don't just get applause, you get criticism. You get misinterpretation.
Chapter 7: What are the pressures of having influence?
And the pressure to keep creating, to keep showing up, to keep inspiring, to keep posting, even on the days when you feel like you got nothing in the tank. People don't see the weight of constantly being in demand, the pressure to maintain relevance or the exhaustion. of being accessible to so many people all the time. But again, you asked for this when you said you wanted to make an impact.
Then there's writing a book. You want to write a book? You should. I think you should. Yeah, yeah, for sure. You should do that. But just so you know, there's levels to this thing. Writing the book is actually the easiest part. Getting it on a shelf is Getting people to actually buy it, promoting it, marketing it, doing the press runs, the interviews, the book signings. It's a full-time job.
Oh, and once you're an author, people expect you to write another one. You're no longer just a writer. You're a marketer, a salesperson, a brand. But remember, you asked for this when you said you wanted to be an author. Oh, and then for me in my world, oh my goodness, they're speaking. Let me tell you what I hear all the time. I want to be a speaker just like you.
And I just smile and say, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's cute. That's so cute. That would be awesome. I'll tell you what. Are you sure? Because here's what's fascinating to me about some of the most successful speakers that I know in the country. They're actually trying to do it less. They're all trying to figure out how they can do just a few less speaking engagements. I'll just say this.
It's harder than Instagram makes it look. It's flights, it's hotels, early mornings, late nights, sound checks, back-to-back travel, unpredictable audiences, weather, and the constant pressure to perform. It's giving 100% of yourself, even when you're at 50%. But again, you asked for this, and you said you wanted to be a speaker.
At the end of the day, most people don't realize that when they say, I want to be great, what they're really saying is, I want to invite stress into my life and I want the weight of responsibility and I want to carry something that most people would drop and that's okay because these are good problems. These are the problems that come with playing big. So just don't be surprised when the weight,
of what you asked for starts to settle in. You want to be the best? Great. But with that comes expectations. With that comes pressure. With that comes people picking apart every move you make and you don't get to complain about it. Why? Because you asked for this. Now, here's the good news. There are good problems. In fact, these are problems that most people would kill to have.
Some of your biggest problems are your biggest privilege. It's an honor to have these problems. You could have small problems that come with playing small. Or you could have big problems that come with playing big. And trust me, big problems are simply a sign that you're in the game. You could say, man, I have to deal with this. Yeah, but try saying, I get to deal with this.
So, my friend, when the late nights start stacking up and you're running on fumes, remember, you asked for this. When the criticism comes louder than the applause, and people who have never walked in your shoes have the most to say, remember, you asked for this. When the pressure feels unbearable, when the weight of responsibility is heavier than you could have imagined,
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