On life (148) -”Three Types of People” – 13/11/2016

   All people strive to attain success. To do so, they resort to fully realizing their talents and potential. However, some people are either severed from their selves, or are slightly distanced from it. Of this very category, some go close to their selves and understand them, while others are totally estranged from them. In effect, people have many dispositions. We shall tackle three of these dispositions, namely, those who are not aware of their talents and potential, those who are aware, yet overestimate them, and those who are aware and utilize them correctly. The gap between the three of them is pretty wide in so far as their steadfastness and success are concerned.

Type I

   People of this type are unaware of their potential. They suffice to watching life from afar without actively participating to it. They justify this attitude by being too weak and unequipped to achieve success. They claim that their hopes have evaporated, and they cannot trust themselves with realizing their dreams.

Type II

   Though they are aware of their talents, they overestimate them. In effect, they are continuously frustrated and, thus, overcome by negative feelings. They are never satisfied by the success they achieve, believing that it is not up to the standards they set for themselves. They cannot enjoy life.

Type III

   Those people are aware of their talents and capacities. They can utilize them correctly, for they know the meaning of life and the recipe of success. In effect, they live simply and happily, for they effectively participate to life.

   Being aware of your talents and capacities is no easy task, for it has to do with work and practice. Man discovers his talents through diligent work which enables him to discover whatever is new about himself and gain new experience. Also, practice uncovers new opportunities before man, allowing him to achieve more and more in like manner a drop of rain digs a rock, not through violence, but recurrence.

   Worthy mentioning is that man never gets to know his capacities unless he goes through tests and tribulations which either prove or disprove their existence. According to Dr. Mustafa Mahmud, “You will never know how brave or coward you are unless you encounter real danger. Neither will you know how good or bad you are unless you encounter true seduction.”

General Bishop

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center