We often hear inspirational stories about “Self-made personalities”. Implying that he or she achieved great heights in life. But I disagree with the use of the phrase “Self-made”. I believe that no one is ever self-made.
Alexander the Great, king of ancient Macedonia, the conqueror of the known world was at the throne for less than just 13 years. Yet he changed the course of history. One of the world’s greatest military generals, he created a vast empire that stretched from Macedonia to Egypt and from Greece to part of India. Was he self-made?
Alexander himself confessed “I am indebted to my father for living, but I am indebted to my teacher for living well”.
In the year 343 BC, Alexander’s father King Philip invited a Greek philosopher, Aristotle and told him, “Take this son of mine away and teach him.” Aristotle became the tutor of Alexander. Aristotle’s philosophy extensively revolved around self-belief. He said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”. During Alexander’s remarkable march throughout the known world, it is said that the love Aristotle gave him for books led him to win over the world.
How about Aristotle? Was he self-made? Nope, he was a protege of Plato, founder of the academy, an ultimate ancestor to modern university. Plato? Was he self-made? He was a protege of Socrates, the first moral philosopher of the Western ethical thoughts.
Every single person in this world has one or more mentors throughout life. Then why everyone isn’t successful? Who is my mentor? Who must be my mentor? Ask yourself.
Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.
— Benjamin Franklin
Minds are not like vessels to be filled with information, but like a fire to be kindled. A great mentor awakens the minds and ignites hope. I used to be really afraid of speaking out. During my final year engineering, recruitment processes were going on. I was good at math so I cleared the first round for every company. Second round — Group discussion. All the time, it started with great energy and ended with expected disappointment — rejection. My placement officer at college often told me “Yasin, please speak in Group discussion”. Every next time, I used to be like “Yes bro, let’s do it this time”. But before I write down my notes and get ready to speak, the discussion would be over already. I got into a company when they didn’t have a GD. In the personal interview, interviewer asked me “Will you work anywhere we post you?” I replied with great energy, “Yes sir, I will work in even another planet for you”. Because they didn’t have a GD :-?
As I began my career, I was still afraid of Public speaking. Although I had a Toastmasters club at my company, I never had the courage to even enter the forum. When I went to Mumbai for my second job, things started changing. Someone saw the fire in me waiting to be kindled. After pulling me for number of Toastmasters, TedX meetings, she told me “Yasin, Do you see the difference? The ideas that you have are great but it matters only if you can express yourself”. Not only did she tell me what can be done, but she showed me how it can be done by being herself. She said, ‘Let’s go do it,’ not ‘You go do it.’ How powerful it is when someone says, ‘Let’s!’. That’s the power good mentoring. That’s called Servant leadership. I joined Toastmasters International as a person who would shiver his body off to just speak few words. Today here I am, having completed two levels of my pathway, contesting my worst fear — Public speaking, embarked on the journey to become a better person.
“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
— Isaac Newton
Find the right shoulder, so that you can kindle the fire in you.
