I have an IQ that supposedly puts me on par with Nobel prize winners. While I’m successful in many of the things I do, I’m still not “great.” Part of that is my fault, but I turn 40 this year and - believe me - it weighs on me.
My grandfather is lying on his deathbed right now. He’ll probably pass away today. He was a minister and affected the lives of many people. Was he “great?” What is his legacy beyond the people he helped? There will be no building named after him. He didn’t amass great wealth. He has not published any books.
He did have an impact on me, though. That alone is *great* to me. Will I, in turn, cure cancer? Will I give a speech crediting him for my success? Probably not, although the jury is still out on what I do with the rest of my life.
He has helped give me potential. I an intend on passing that potential to my children. And the people *I* help. If you help just one person, who helps another, who saves someone, who later becomes great...
It’s the Butterfly effect. If you are Christian - and trust that God has a plan - you may not see the part you played until you stand in His glory.
In the meantime, keep your dreams alive. At 29, you have plenty of time to realize them.
Life is simply a set of problems and hurdles that we navigate around and for most of us the only legacy we leave behind is the collection of DNA we give to the next generation.