Strive

4Are You Special?

You are unique. Just like everyone else.

—Frequently attributed to Margaret Mead, American anthropologist

The Idea That Only Exceptional People Become Successful Is Wrong

Wherever you go in the world, whether you are in a developed nation or a Third World country, you will find there are rich people and poor people. You will also see that there are a variety of talents and gifts supplied to every person in every nation: Some people are tremendous athletes, others are great at math, and others seem to understand people well. Every person is born with a natural talent or ability; some of these lucky folks even have some modicum of wealth, but that does not mean they will be a success. For example, if you take a moment to compare lists of the most famous or successful people with a list of the smartest, you will see there is not much overlap. Some intelligent people may be relatively well off, but not all of them have achieved an outstanding level of success. (William Hartston, in an article for Britain's Independent, even noted that an unusual proportion of the members of Mensa, the organization designed for the highly intelligent, was actually unemployed.) We are saturated with photoshopped images of the smart, beautiful, and talented. These images are often linked with those who have powerful connections and incredible wealth. It is very easy to believe the lie that only the exceptional among us have any hope of being a success. History teaches us that it ...