For as long as I can remember, I’ve been… ordinary. Just good enough to get by. I was fine with it, really—being an average kid, an average teenager. Back then, I didn’t even have a concept of mediocrity. It wasn’t something I questioned. But I also didn’t understand greatness, not until some part of my adult life.
And then one day, it hit me. It wasn’t a sudden epiphany, more like a quiet realization, sparked by observing the world around me. I saw people who excelled—someone remarkable in sports, another person thriving at a premier institute, and others making waves in renowned organizations.
These weren’t just names or titles; they were emblems. Emblems of discipline, resilience, and persistence. Qualities that don’t just define individuals—they elevate societies.
It was in that quiet reflection that my concept of greatness took root. To be great, I realized, is to be a catalyst. A force that propels society forward. It’s about embodying the traits that keep communities alive, thriving, and moving. When people see greatness—whether in work, art, science, or character—they’re inspired to chase it themselves. And that pursuit creates a ripple effect. One act of greatness sparks another, and another, until the cycle amplifies. A society brimming with greatness eventually reaches a tipping point—a kind of cultural escape velocity—propelling us to higher, uncharted orbits.
But greatness, like a flame, requires fuel. And that fuel? It comes in many forms. Sometimes it’s raw curiosity, an insatiable hunger to know more. Other times, it’s a quiet longing, an unspoken desire to rise above. Maybe it’s born out of necessity, a logical path forward. Or maybe—just maybe—it’s something deeper, something we can’t quite name but can undeniably feel.
At this point in my journey, I’ve stopped worrying about what that fuel is or how much of it I have left. There’s no fuel gauge to measure it, no warning light to tell me if I’m running low. And perhaps that’s for the best. Constantly calculating, preserving, or fearing depletion would only hold me back.
I like to believe that the fuel for greatness is inexhaustible. After all, we’re made of stardust, born from the remnants of long-forgotten stars. If that’s true, then somewhere within us lies a spark of that infinite energy. The kind of energy that can propel us toward something extraordinary. Toward our own version of greatness.
So, I choose to trust the process. To trust that as long as I keep moving, the fuel will find me. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll become a part of that ripple, inspiring others to start their own pursuit.