Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great - Mark Twain

Greatness is the seed of life deposited in every human spirit at creation. Just as the breath of life was blown into mankind to become a living soul, so was this gift put in you. Greatness is the evidence of God’s DNA in humanity. It is one thing acknowledging there is greatness residing in you but it is a whole different ballgame to bring it to bare, through its activation.

 Service to mankind is undoubtedly the hallmark to greatness. The question is how come everyone is not living up to their greatness? This is the quandary most people face in life—some even go to the extent of saying, “If we all become great, who would serve us?”

Greatness is not achieved through studies in higher education. It is also not associated with the number of people you control and supervise. It is not social affluence or political influence and charisma. Neither is it liken to the accumulation of wealth nor the ability to reach the summit of fame or power.

The myth and optical illusion of stardom have hoodwinked this generation into thinking that greatness always has something to do with fame, power, wealth, intellectualism etc. Hence, we oftentimes look for quick ways to achieve prominence, which has brought about pain, misery, greed, and social degradation upon this generation.  Greatness is the sacrifice and service rendered to humanity regardless of the threat of freedom and social ostracism which is sometimes affiliated with it.

The great people we revere, and read about today were not necessarily the aristocrats or celebrities of their days, but servants to worthy causes in their communities and nations in their era. In most cases, they were either public enemies or outlawed. Their passion to leave the world a better place than they met it, often motivated them to sacrifice their personal freedom for a greater cause.

Some toppled kingdoms, others pushed for justice and equal rights, some wrestled with lions and went through fire, others were martyred, some turned disadvantage situations to advantage, won battles, and routed foreign armies.

Greatness has always been akin to sacrifice, discomfort, selflessness, or loneliness. Besides, no great person sets off to achieve greatness. It is in the persistent service and sacrifice to a cause greater than ourselves that elevates them to the pinnacle of life.

Activating the seed of greatness within you calls for the understanding and application of certain principles. For example, a seed of orange may be sitting dormant on a table full of potential not only to be a tree but an orchard. Unless someone decides to activate the greatness in the orange seed by applying the principle of sowing and reaping, that seed would die unfulfilled or wasted.

The following story of the Lion among the sheep illustrates the activation of the seed of greatness in life:

Once upon a time, in the shadow of a mountain, a herd of sheep lived and grazed on the cool, green grass. As the herd grazed close to a tall oak tree, there lay a small copper-colored lump of fur. The ewe bent down sniffing carefully but the lump did not move.  The ewe tried prodding the lump with its nose but it wouldn’t move. 

The ewe could see its small chest rise with each breath, so it decided to lie down beside it to give it warmth and see if it would wake up. At dusk, the small furry bundle began to stir. The ewe licked its face and it nuzzled closer finding warm milk to drink.

As time went by, the ewe continued to take care of the foundling as part of the herd.  All the sheep noticed a disparity between them and this animal. The animal was taller than the biggest ram and its’ coat was the color of the warm, summer sunset rather than the clouds.

Its copper-colored face was broader and her mouth was filled with big, sharp teeth.  But it mingled with the herd going up the mountain paths, drank out of the streams and nibbled the grasses like all good sheep.

This small copper-colored lump of fur was a cub of a lion living life among sheep! They all lived together in the meadow eating, sleeping and moving as a heard. Soon this “Lion-sheep” became clever in spotting dangerous animals, so it guarded the herd at night and moved in front of the herd during the day.

One day, the herd went to the stream to drink water where they had set their eyes on a dangerous animal lurking for their prey. Just as they all put their mouth in the river and the “Lion-sheep” saw its reflection in the water, then it jumped and ran off with the herd out of fear of seeing a dangerous lion not recognizing it was its own image.

On another occasion out in the meadow, a sound rang out and the herd ran together for safety; this time again, the “Lion-sheep” ran off initially but stopped and turned towards the noise. Around the tree came the largest beast they had ever seen.  The herd bunched closer with the cub in front as it moved toward the strange beast.

The ewe bleated out to warn the “Lion-sheep” but it kept going, looking at the beast unafraid and stopping just inches away.  The beast saw itself in the other and nodding its head went to the stream. The “Lion-sheep” followed. As both animals bent down to drink, the “Lion-sheep” saw its own reflection again and looking over saw the face of the strange beast in the still water. 

The images looked alike.  Shocked, the “Lion-sheep” drew back from the edge of the water and toward the herd, but the big beast stepped into its path, blocking the “Lion-sheep’s” way roaring at it.

The “Lion-sheep” roared back and as the other sheep backed further away in fear, terrified with the noise the strange lion communicated to the “Lion-sheep,” “Don’t run away from who you are.  You may have grown up here with a herd of sheep, but you have greatness within you. You are strong, independent and brave.  There are many more things that you can do, places you can go and other animals more to see than the sheep and this safe, green meadow.  Come with me”.

This strange lion was challenging and stirring the greatness in the “Lion-sheep. “The “Lion-sheep” had always believed it was different from the sheep despite growing up with them and cozying in the comfort of the meadow. It fancied moving about the mountain but longed to see higher, go farther and do adventurous activities.

For the first time, the “Lion-sheep” could see its true self mirrored in the eyes of the lion.  Now, the “Lion-sheep” understands that it is not weird as it thought but rather it’s part of the traits of its family of greatness that it has not yet discovered.

The “Lion-sheep” had a choice to stay with the safety of the herd, living in fear and at the mercy of the other beast or to respond to the burning desire to discover its true self although challenging, unfamiliar, and audacious. The “Lion-sheep” resolved to step out of its comfort zone and activate the greatness residing latent within it.

Similarly, most people are born with greatness to change our world to become a better place but because of their association, their seed of greatness is largely untapped. German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer said, “Great minds are like eagles, and build their nest in some lofty solitude.” In other words, great people face and address challenges in life, see far beyond and do things differently than the great masses.

The following are signs that take place privately when your greatness is being activated:

• Misfit among your association— when the seed of greatness within you starts to evolve, you will feel like a lion amid sheep. In other words, you will be unconventional in your declarations, values, and philosophy of life.

Things that were irrelevant to you before, suddenly becomes significant. This is the time when friends and people around you are likely to scorn the emerging person within you. I would advise you not to disclose your dreams to just any person you meet at this stage, since you could also be distracted, discouraged, or derailed during this period of  transition.

• See yourself as you should be—most people consciously or subliminally try to avoid this experience because it exposes the lapses, failures, and how far they are lagging behind in their purpose in life. In other words, here, your life becomes like a timeline in a movie and you see where you are presently vis-à-vis where you should have been in life.

The quandary here is that most people tend to surrender when they see they lag far behind in their purpose or dream in life, instead of using this sentiment as an impellent to simulate their purpose. Comer Comtrell said, “Sometimes the greatest inspiration is born out of desperation.”  I concur with American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings, Isaiah Thomas who said, “No matter how many shots you miss, always believe you're going to make the next one.”

• Feel energized around greatness—Greatness attracts greatness. One of the signs of the activation of the greatness in you is that the attitude, values, and accomplishments of great people generate a strong desire to believe in your ability to achieve your own dream. That is to say, the life of great people becomes a touchstone and a motivation for you in your quest to get to greatness yourself.

• Internal restlessness to act—this is the most complicated and frustrating part of the experience. Most times when you know what you are supposed to do or where you should be in life and owing to reasons beyond human comprehension, you are not on that level, you begin to experience internal turmoil. When you envisage the gap between where you are and where you are going, it makes you fretful; especially when you have not yet begun the journey.

The most difficult thing is not the discovery of your purpose or the articulation of your vision but the process, i.e. the distance between where you are and your destination in life.

Greatness has largely been misconstrued by society today so much that it has now been associated with power , social charisma, and fame; an average person today is determined to be famous, wealthy, or powerful regardless of the means to get there. Service and sacrifice are no more the symbol of greatness but rather charisma and reputation. It is no longer significance but success.

Richard W. Shelly, Jr. cautioned that “A desire for bigness has hurt many folks. Putting oneself in the limelight at the expense of others is a wrong idea of greatness. The secret of greatness rather than bigness is to acclimate oneself to one's place of service and be true to one's own convictions. A life of this kind of service will forever remain the measure of one's true greatness.”

As you set off on the journey of greatness, remember, “You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand,” Woodrow Wilson.