Have Difficult Goals

image: conquereducation.com

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them."

Ever wondered why we still quote William Shakespeare? The guy lived about 400 years ago, yet two-third of English Literature is built on his works. Even most of the hollywood movies we watch have a link to his work. Did you know that Lion King is an adaption of Hamlet? The brother kills the king and marries the queen, and the king's son is forced to revenge. Romeo and Juliet is arguably the most adapted/reproduced/modified play.

We owe him over 1,700 of the common English words we use. He invented them in his plays. Words like swagger, fashionable, lacklustre,lonely, generous, hurry, critic, undress and gossip. And phrases like: all that glitters is not gold; all is well that ends well; bag and baggage; break the ice; devil incarnate; for goodness' sake; laughing stock; and love is blind.

I don't think he originally planned to be this influential. He lived at a time English was spoken by fewer people than those who currently speak Yoruba. It was not an important language as it is today. Latin had that position then and was the language of the educated. All William Shakespeare did was to give himself difficult goals. A goal that required him creating new plays very often and inventing new words. He went after what was not existing.

You have to set yourself goals that will stretch you and lead to the creation of genuinely new things. You have to break limitations around you. Create new words/tools to get you to your goal. It is one of the most productive ways to live life. And even if you aren't as lucky to be as influential as William Shakespeare, you will be a hero to your children and their children and generations after them.