Ultimate success is often called genius. People recognize genius, but seldom are able to define it. One supposes that people of genius have natural talent, or at least natural talent for some task.
Recent work, however, suggests that at least many who excel got there primarily through hard work. One example is Mozart. He was a child prodigy, yes. However, his father was known to be a task master. And, Mozart's early symphonies would hardly be considered great works, and would have no acclaim at all if not part of his larger works developed later in life. Tiger Woods is thought of as a 'natural'. Yet Tiger spends long hours watching videos of his own play, then hones his techniques. Chess players clearly get better at the game through long hours of work.
Hours are not enough. If one plays 'Mary Had A Little Lamb' on the violin for hours and hours, one will eventually stagnate, with little improvement. One must face multiple challenges to achieve greatness.
For, for true greatness, Booker T. Washington has hit on a good measure. But the fact remains that most people are measured by a different scale. It isn't true greatness that is measured, but rather a sort of popularity contest. There are few who take the time to take the true measure of anyone.
And, there are few who listen to those who do. One might say that the current President is a great man. After all, nearly half of the people who voted elected him President. But the advertising that went on that claimed his greatness did not come from unbiased researchers. So the claim to greatness is quite hollow.
Unfortunately, history is also subject to this kind of popularity issue. Many claim that Aristotle was a great man. It may have been true. From the modern perspective, however, he helped hold back the advance of science for at least 1,500 years - hardly the sort of thing anyone would like to be known for as the result of their life's work.
So, no, Booker T. Washington has largely missed the mark.
