Self-Made Man?
Have you heard of the “self-made man” or the one who “pulled himself up by his own bootstraps”? Both of those statements contain a basic misunderstanding. We cannot make anything of ourselves if the self is all we have. We may have gained knowledge and skills by our own ingenuity, enthusiasm, aggressiveness and perseverance. But in the final analysis our success is dependent upon other people—people we’ve learned from, those who encouraged and helped us, the loved ones of our family and our friends.
Be grateful for those who have helped you along the path, and reach out a helping hand to those coming behind you. We are not islands.