Great People of Our Time
Great People of Our Time
What makes a person great, a person who has exploited his or her potential to make a lasting contribution to human culture and human welfare? We study the lives of those people who are considered great to find out how they did it, how they overcame the obstacles in their paths, how they developed the courage to remain steadfast through criticism, and why they never gave up, no matter the adversity encountered. We study these people because we have much to learn from their stories—their adversities and their triumphs. By learning about these people, maybe we’ll learn how to make our own dreams come true.
Becoming a great person. Many spend their lives searching for worldly success, because greatness often results in fame and fortune. But that should not be one’s ambition; people should aspire to do something that they’re good at. Hopefully, by doing so, these people will see that they add to the enjoyment of others. Think of Tiger Woods and golf or Robert De Niro and acting. By following their interests, they have allowed others to enjoy their contributions and inspired others to follow their own hearts in choosing their lifework. Fame and fortune were not Tiger or Robert’s ambitions, but fame and fortune did result from doing what they loved. That is as it should be.
Greatness is not necessarily something a person is born with. Most are not born to be multimillionaires any more than others are born to be the best tennis players of their generation. In reality, there are three types of people in the world.
· The Wasters are born rich in natural talent and do nothing with their potential. These individuals have a unique talent or ability that few enjoy, but spend little time perfecting that talent and in the end, their lives are tragic wastes of opportunity.
· The Chosen Few are born rich in natural talent and do something with these talents. These individuals have unusual talents that few have and perfect their talents. They realize their potential, and the world benefits from their unique gifts.
· The Fearless may not come into the world with natural talent but they marshal that talent through adversity or criticism and strive until the very last days of their lives. These are the people who should be most admired, for they may have few advantages and little luck, but they also have courage and perseverance. They are called the fearless because they expend every effort, through sheer determination, to do their best with what they have. There’s very little more we can ask of ourselves or anyone than to reach their full natural potential.
Those who become great are often among the chosen few and the fearless not solely because of their birthrights or talents, but because of their drive and dedication. Great people have certain traits and characteristics that make them unique, but these traits are common to most men and women—if they only have the desire and will to follow their hearts and minds and never waver or falter while making their dreams come true.
In studying the great people of our time, the most striking revelation was the similarity identified in their paths to greatness. They followed their passions, overcome any obstacles, went down swinging for what they believed in, and in the end, left legacies that shaped our world. Their journeys were exciting and invigorating and remained the singular pursuit of their time.
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