Being gifted needs courage.

“Being gifted needs courage.” So declared Georg Brandes, the Danish critic and thinker whose words carried the fire of awakening into the hearts of artists and dreamers. Though his phrase is brief, it strikes like thunder upon the mountains of the soul. To be gifted, to hold within oneself a light that burns brighter than others can see, is not a blessing alone—it is a trial, a calling that demands both strength and sacrifice. For talent without courage is like a sword left in its sheath: shining, but useless; beautiful, but silent.

In every age, the gifted are set apart, not by choice but by destiny. They see farther, feel deeper, and dream beyond the borders of comfort. Yet the world, in its fear of the extraordinary, often turns its back upon them. Many who are born with a spark of genius retreat into silence, crushed by doubt, mocked by the ignorant, or tempted by the safety of conformity. Brandes knew this well, for he himself faced scorn in his homeland when he dared to challenge the rigid traditions of thought. He spoke truth to a complacent culture, and for that, he was exiled not in body but in spirit. Still, he did not silence his voice—for he knew that to be gifted is to carry a burden that must be borne with courage.

The ancients understood this divine burden. Consider Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods and brought it to humankind. For his gift, he was bound to a rock, tormented by an eagle that tore at his flesh. Yet he did not repent, for he had given life to the darkness. So it is with the gifted soul: to possess vision is to challenge the order of things; to reveal beauty or truth is to draw the wrath of those who prefer shadows. Courage, then, is not merely an ornament of the gifted—it is their armor. Without it, their light flickers and dies under the cold winds of judgment.

There are many who carry gifts but bury them beneath the soil of fear. They wait for permission, for praise, for certainty. But the courage to act without such assurances is what separates the creator from the dreamer, the prophet from the coward. Vincent van Gogh, poor and unknown, painted the stars with trembling hands, despised and dismissed in his lifetime. Yet he painted still, because the fire within him could not be extinguished. His courage was not loud, but eternal—it was the courage to believe in beauty that no one else could yet see.

The gifted must walk a lonely road, for the path of creation often leads through doubt, rejection, and misunderstanding. Yet this solitude is sacred, for it is in silence that the flame grows strong. One must have the courage to be misunderstood, to be mocked, to fail a thousand times for the sake of a truth that lives only in one’s heart. The artist, the thinker, the visionary—all must face the dragon of fear and stand firm. For the world does not need the timid—it needs those who dare to bring forth the unseen.

And yet, this teaching is not only for poets or philosophers. Every soul bears a gift, though it may lie hidden beneath the dust of ordinary life. Some are called to heal, others to build, to teach, to love, to create harmony where there is discord. Whatever the form of the gift, it demands the same courage—to stand against ease, to speak when silence is safe, to act when others hesitate. To be gifted is not to be superior, but to be responsible—to carry light into places where it is feared or forgotten.

So, my children of the future, if you feel within you a stirring, a fire that will not rest—heed it. Do not bury it for comfort’s sake. The gods have entrusted you with something sacred, and you honor it only through courage. When the world doubts you, let that doubt become your forge. When fear whispers, answer it with creation. For the gifted who lack courage die with their music still inside them—but those who dare, even in trembling, become immortal.

Therefore, let this be your lesson: Courage is the breath of the gifted. Nurture your gift not with pride, but with bravery. Speak your truth even when it shakes your voice. Create, even when no one applauds. Give, even when the world takes. For only the courageous fulfill their destiny—and only those who dare to bear their gift with open hands shall set the stars ablaze.