There are infinite number of galaxies, a billion stars. Just in our solar system, there are eight planets and our alone has more than 7 billion people, and each one of us want to be remembered. Whether it’s for being the strongest, the fastest, the smartest, the prettiest, the most creative, each of us wants to be remembered. There’s always going to be someone better then you, but that doesn’t mean you give up. No one has ever achieved eminence by doing nothing, they had to earn it. No one is born strong, they are strong now because at one point they failed, at one point they suffered, and at one point they were weak and vulnerable. 

William Shakespeare once said, “Be not afraid of greatness; some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.” Some people are born with a silver spoon and great prospects, others work very hard to strive for greatness and there are those who have greatness put into their lives whether they want it or not; but if you are afraid of greatness then you will never achieve, no matter what you have in front of you. 

A majority of our world fears greatness for the one reason that we shouldn’t and that is ‘failure.’ Our lives are short, and as far as we know we may only have one, this means there’s only one chance to change the world, to make a difference regardless of its impact. There’s no time to be afraid of failure, if you give up on the chances presented to you just because of the fear of failing, haven’t you already failed?

We start out with big dreams, dreams of being the president of a country, or dreams to be an astronaut. But as we grow up, the only place we dream big is in our sleep. We get told these dreams are unrealistic. If everyone gave up when those around them told them it was impossible, we wouldn’t have people in our world like Malala, Martin Luther King Jr, and Mahatma Gandhi. Greatness is within us, but it only comes out when you start to believe in yourself. 

Seven billion people in this world must always remember that in life it’s not about where you start, or where you end up, it’s about how great your journey was to get there.

Aarya is a grade 10 student at Lincoln School, Kathmandu

 
• greatness
 
• afraid