The Shoulder of Giants - LDP & Segun Akiode

I know it all
So much I could barely fall
Seem like I could reach everything
Well built, nothing seem too big
Embedded with such grace like an angel
Yet, I can only do little with much

Can't possibly fathom
How all these won't get me all
All that I wish and ask for
My heart cry, so loud
Wonder why its inaudible
Why am I in this all by myself?

It then occurred to me
I can only do so much
Yet so little without a hand
I can only move all my strength can bear
Yet so few without help
For where my many talents won't get me
I need a fellow... Yes, I do.

- LDP
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I’ve got talent! Yes, I sing beautifully; I dance excellently; No one can play that musical instrument the way I do. Wait a minute; is talent all it takes to succeed in life? John C. Maxwell had a perfect answer to that question in his classic book - Talent Is Never Enough; “Talent is often overrated and frequently misunderstood”. When people achieve great things, others often explain their accomplishments by simply attributing everything to talent. But that is a false and misleading way of looking at success. If talent alone is enough, then why do you and I know highly talented people who are not highly successful?

Let’s consider that question for a while; there are many talented people around us who are not highly successful; many with talents die without the world knowing anything about them. They fail to show the world their talents. While there are many factors that contribute to this state, this post is solely aimed at highlighting one very important factor in the equation of making your talent visible for all to benefit from – People! Of a truth - Where your talent won't take you; People can!

Let’s take a peep at two examples:

Tiger Woods: We all know Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods right? He is the most successful golfer of all time! What about Earl Woods? I can guess, only a few know or perhaps have even heard of him. Earl Woods is Tiger Woods’ father, he was a very good amateur golfer but he helped his son become the most successful golfer of all time! Earl knew his son had great potential to play golf so he introduced him to golf at a very early age of two. Also, Earl Woods had researched in detail the career accomplishments of Jack Nicklaus (the golf legend at that time), and had set his young son the goals of breaking those records. Did Tiger break those records? As they say, the rest is history. You can Google it right away!

Lionel Messi: We all know Lionel Andries “Leo” Messi right? No argument about his identity, I guess. Lionel Messi is considered one of the best footballers of his generation. But, is Lionel Messi the most talented footballer? Many would argue he is; but is he? I must add, there are more talented footballers than Messi but they are not known. Why is Messi world renowned? The answer - FC Barcelona! Messi began playing football at the age of 5 and his potential was quickly identified by Barcelona. In year 2000, he moved with his family to Europe, as Barcelona offered treatment for his growth hormone deficiency. “Are you serious? Messi the great had a growth hormone deficiency?” Yes, he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency at age 11, but thanks to Carles Rexach, the sporting director of FC Barcelona for giving him a life-line! Barcelona offered to pay for Messi's medical bills if he was willing to move to Spain. Messi and his father moved to Barcelona and the rest, as they say, is history.

The examples cited may have come from a similar field of life – sports, not because I have any bias for sports but because the essence of this post can be clearly seen from them. Each of the examples shows one singular constant factor – People! My friend, Where your talent won't take you; People can!

Why this whole epistle, you may ask… It is so that we recognize that people are the bridges our talents must go through on its way to limelight. People are the wheels on which our talents ride to stardom. People are the very essence of celebrities in our society. We call them celebrities because people celebrate them and/or their talents. If you disregard people in your life, you will never be celebrated. I’d conclude with the words of Issac Newton, "If I have been able to see further, it was only because I stood on the shoulders of giants." Go forth and find your own Giant shoulder to stand on, I mean for where my many talents won't get me, I need a fellow... Yes, I do.

- Segun Akiode

Photo from here