I tell my son Corey that the greatest teacher is the teacher who

Hear the voice of Billy Dee Williams, who spoke not as an actor but as a father, a sage to his son, when he said: “I tell my son Corey that the greatest teacher is the teacher who says, ‘Don’t follow me; follow yourself. Because within you there is that kingdom, that life, that force.’” In this utterance we hear the wisdom of the ancients, the truth that the purpose of a guide is not to create disciples of their own image, but to awaken the power already dwelling within the soul of the student. The greatest teacher is not a master of chains but a liberator of spirits.

The origin of these words lies in the eternal struggle between imitation and authenticity. Throughout history, men have been tempted to follow blindly — to adopt the voices, opinions, and ways of others, fearing to trust the inner voice. Yet the wise have always taught that within each being resides a kingdom, vast and radiant, waiting to be discovered. Williams echoes the same truth spoken by the sages of every age: no external authority can replace the force within. The teacher’s task is to point, not to possess; to awaken, not to enslave.

Think of Socrates, who declared himself a midwife of wisdom. He did not seek to fill his students with doctrines, but to help them give birth to truths already latent within their souls. To Plato, to Xenophon, to the youth of Athens, he said in essence: “Do not follow me; follow the truth that speaks within you.” And when the city condemned him, he went to death rather than betray that calling. His life became testimony to Williams’s words: the true guide directs the student inward, not outward.

So too did the Buddha speak to his disciples. After years of teaching, when they sought to cling to his presence, he said: “Be a lamp unto yourselves.” He knew that the master’s body could not remain, but the truth within each heart would endure. This is the wisdom that Williams would pass to his son Corey — that no parent, no teacher, no hero can replace the discovery of one’s own inner force. To live by another’s path is to walk in borrowed shoes; to live by your own is to walk upon the ground of destiny.

The meaning of his words is also deeply emotional. For every parent longs to protect, to guide, to shape their child. Yet the highest love is not control but freedom: to show the child that they already carry within themselves life, force, and kingdom. This is no easy task. Many cling to authority, desiring followers, not equals. But the great teacher humbles himself, stepping aside so the student may rise. To say “follow yourself” is the act of a soul who trusts in the power of others, and in the divine spark that dwells within all.

The lesson for us is profound: we must seek out teachers who lead us back to ourselves, not those who bind us to their own egos. And when we teach — whether as parents, mentors, or friends — we must remember that our task is not to make others copies of us, but to help them discover their own essence. The true kingdom is not built in classrooms or temples, but in the heart that recognizes its own worth and strength.

Therefore, take these practical actions: When you look to mentors, ask not, “What can I imitate?” but “What within me do they awaken?” When you guide others, resist the urge to shape them in your image; instead, encourage them to listen to their own voice. Practice silence, so that the whispers of your inner force can be heard. And remind yourself daily that you already carry within you the life you seek, the force you long for, the kingdom of truth and freedom.

So remember the words of Billy Dee Williams: the greatest teacher is the one who points you not to himself but to yourself. Walk then with courage, for within you burns the light of kings, the force of creation, the kingdom without walls. Do not follow blindly; instead, awaken, rise, and follow the path of your own soul. For that path alone is freedom, and that path alone is truth.