We need to accept that no one is born into greatness. Greatness is realized through self discovery and the pursuit of passions that fuel our souls. Even though most people are considered great for a variety of reasons and achievements and thus, become famous, they become famous only after years of struggling to achieve goals and stubbornly maintaining what we can call "a true compass" in which their integrity would not be compromise with hypocrisy or out of convenience. Uphill battles against the status quo, opposition, heartbreak and hope are typical markers of those we have collectively agreed that possess greatness.

Fortunately, greatness is not a genetic disposition and since no one is born into greatness, anyone of us can achieve it. Greatness is the end result of pursuing one's passions and realizing aspirations that benefit society at large. Memorialized figures that have been deemed to possess greatness share a few characteristics in common:

*1. They clearly saw problems that needed to be addressed

*2. They worked towards justice/fairness/equality

*3. They worked against oppression, either man made or caused by nature

*4. They knew the human character and focused on positive drive and passions

*5. They never understood they were great, nor did they care.

*6. They had integrity

*7. They had a great capacity for sharing and acceptance

*8. They cared more about others than they did about themselves.

*9. The greater good meant more than personal comfort

*10. They understood human nature and drive

The Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa, Jesus Christ, Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Plato, Socrates, or anyone else we can add to this list only became great because they accomplished major positive changes in society at large. They were not daunted by the struggles, they simply continued to work in the direction they knew they had to travel. Their personal safety took a back seat to accomplishing justice and equality; take care of those who are vulnerable due to sickness or starvation. Teaching, so young minds have direction and understanding to ensure that their future is better than those of their parents.

Those listed above gained recognition by those who came after them because their efforts, their lives' passion created a better environment for humanity to thrive and move forward in positive ways.

Being great and being famous are mutually exclusive. Some great people become famous and others never will, but their great acts will outlive them in the positive results of generations to come.

Let's give recognition to the great people that populate our world today, those who volunteer at schools across the Nation to aid our children to better themselves by donating their time to improve their math or reading skills. Let's give a glance to those who provide meals to the homeless every single day of the week, not just on holidays. Let's applaud the doctors and nurses who set up massive outreach facilities to provide health care to people who have not seen a doctor in years; The dentists that dedicate several days a month to take care of children's teeth who have no insurance.

These people will never become famous, but their acts of kindness will live long after they are long gone. None of these great people were born into greatness, they rose to the occasion when the challenges were presented and instead of saying "someone should do something about that", they said "I will do what needs to be done to resolve that".

Learn more about this author, Olivia Emisar.
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