Destined for Greatness
I was listening to an Oprah Winfrey podcast the other day, and she said something like, “I’ve said I always knew I was destined for greatness. I caught a lot of flack for saying that, but it’s true.” The default inference, of course, is that she felt she was unique in her greatness. Everyone has esteem needs, and a person does not like to feel less than another person or people, so it’s easy to see why people would take issue with her statement.
I, too, have always felt I was destined for greatness, but the difference between Oprah’s statement (or the perception of her statement) and mine is that the reason I felt this way was because I’ve always recognized the greatness of the people around me. When everyone is great in their own way then as a matter of course I have greatness in me, too.
Oprah Winfrey has a well known name, she’s amassed wealth, and she has made it her mission to be a positive force through compassion, education, and philanthropy. She has touched a lot of lives. But for me, her influence is minimal. When thinking of ripples in a lake, she is a big stone that has made a splash but far away from me, so I barely feel a ripple from her.
On the other hand, our lives may be perpetually impacted by the actions of people whose names we don’t always know (or can’t bring to mind without research). Take, for example, checking out at a store with the use of bar codes, drinking tap water that is quality tested and federally regulated, or using an ADA door opener when your hands are full. These people are more like motor boats cruising around a lake, always leaving a wake behind them and with a far greater reach. Even the people who bring these stories to light through their writing or podcasts are stones or pebbles landing near me and impacting me at least momentarily.
Thousands of people touch our lives in positive ways daily. The designers who spark joy by adding beauty to functional items (luggage, furniture, tissue boxes, etc.), home chefs who post an online recipe you end up loving, inventors of technology that make your everyday life easier, scientists who develop pharmaceuticals to ease bodily concerns or extend lives, etc. And how do they all manage to be impactful? By working to fill their growth needs! By finding their purpose and their passion. By working to overcome weaknesses and accepting challenges.
We benefit from the greatness of others in big and in small ways. You are destined to be great, too. How do you or will you positively impact the lives of others? Don’t worry if it’s not clear to you yet. It’ll come.
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