“Maestro Fresh” Wes Williams was the first
Canadian hip-hop artist to achieve a platinum album. In his book, Stick to Your Vision, named after his song of the same name, he says in the opening paragraph of “Chapter 23: Pass it
On”,
“Call it what you
want, being a role model, example, inspiration, but people look up to you when
you’ve reached a level they’re trying to conquer. That’s why it’s important to
stay on point and to continue to inspire people directly or indirectly with
your words and actions. You don’t have to wait till you reach your destination
− at any point, you can share what you know or have gone through. But when you
realize your vision, then it’s definitely time.”
When we work hard to get somewhere, we
often forget there are other people out there, other kids and people starting
up who’re aiming as high as we’ve aimed. We don’t have to be award winning
rappers − I remember my Dad giving advice to a cousin who was also becoming a
teacher. We all start out at the beginning − in a crib, not able to walk and
not understanding a word of any language. Completely helpless. But we all
learn, get through kindergarten, figure out the washroom, understand how to get
by.
People overcomplicate life. It’s not some
great quest (unless that’s what it takes for you to do anything) − it’s
just a process. One step takes you that much closer to your goal. And when
we’re a couple miles a head, staring back at some poor soul looking at us from
the other side of the river, it never hurts to throw our line back and help the
fella out a bit.
We all have valuable knowledge. Like
Maestro said, we can share at anytime. People are lost and in search of that
experience. And sometimes, they don’t even realize they’re just one book, one
class away from success.
Spread the worth, the value. It doesn’t
have to be monetary. Teaching people what you’ve learned, if they’re willing to
listen and require that information, is some of the most valuable data they’ll
get.
And, as a plus, you’ll feel like a champ
for helping someone out. That’s what service is about − giving the other guy a
hand for mutual benefit; you save their life and they save your soul.
There aren’t many better deals than that.
There aren’t many better deals than that.
Alex H.
If you liked this Inspire Halton post, you might also like these other updates:
If you'd like to see Maestro in action, here is the music video to his first big hit, "Let Your Backbone Slide" from Symphony in Effect:
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