Most people don't have so much talent that they can become a

Hear the words of Queen Latifah, daughter of strength and voice of truth: “Most people don’t have so much talent that they can become a success all their own. We all need people to help us and lift us up.” In this wisdom she shatters the illusion of the solitary genius, reminding us that no star shines without the sky around it, no tree grows without the soil beneath, no soul thrives without the hands of others to steady and to guide.

The myth of the lone hero is tempting. We imagine that greatness is born from a single person’s brilliance, that some rare talent alone is enough to break every barrier. But Latifah speaks against this vanity. She declares that even the most gifted must lean on others, must be carried at times, must be nourished and strengthened by community. For success is not a solitary mountain climbed alone, but a journey made with companions, mentors, and allies who lift us when our strength falters.

Consider the life of Martin Luther King Jr. His voice thundered like a prophet, and his courage inspired millions. Yet even he did not march alone. Around him stood countless unnamed men and women—activists, families, church members, fellow leaders—who lifted him up, who endured the same risks and poured their own strength into the cause. His success was not his alone, but the fruit of a movement. Without those who helped him, even his great talent might have been silenced.

Queen Latifah herself knows this truth from her journey in music and film. Rising from humble beginnings, she was lifted by producers who believed in her, by fellow artists who opened doors, by fans who echoed her voice. She did not deny her own gift, but she honored the reality that others made space for her to flourish. To acknowledge this is not weakness, but strength—the strength to admit that we are woven into a larger fabric of life, that our triumphs are shared.

The deeper meaning of her words is humility. To say we “need people to help us” is to renounce the arrogance of self-made pride. It is to understand that every teacher, every friend, every critic, and every supporter has poured something into us. It is to bow with gratitude before those who came before, those who walk beside us, and those who will carry our work forward when we are gone. Success without humility is hollow; success with gratitude is eternal.

And this truth also calls us to action. If we all “need people to lift us up,” then we, too, must become lifters of others. We cannot only seek to be carried; we must extend our own hands to raise those who struggle, to encourage those who doubt, to strengthen those whose talent lies buried under fear. For in lifting others, we create the very networks of support that one day may carry us when we stumble.

So, O children of tomorrow, take Queen Latifah’s wisdom to heart. Do not believe the lie that you must achieve everything alone. Seek help with humility, accept it with gratitude, and give it with generosity. Know that success is not the shining of a single flame, but the burning of many fires together. And when your time comes to stand tall, remember to reach back and lift others, for in this lies the true greatness of humanity.