Whose Shoulders Are You Standing On?

It's 2014, and my friend Mitch and I are serving as National FFA Officers for the year. Today, we are scheduled to spend the day with a man named Mark Timm and his family.

The foundation representative who coordinated the visit tells us that Mark is a successful entrepreneur and lives on a farm with his six children. Our job is simple: spend time with him and his family, ask questions, and get to know them. Easy enough!

We enter the Timm household, and all six of his kids are lined up, eager to greet us. They range in age from 16 to 6 and have better manners and training than I ever could have hoped for. The Timm family is remarkable in many ways, but most notably for their focus on personal growth.

We learn that each child chooses a theme to focus on for the year and then, at the end of the year, recaps their growth and development with a slideshow presentation to the rest of the family. Every child, including the six-year-old, has numerous hobbies, interests, and passions they are eager to share with us. As a 21-year-old listening to an eight-year-old tell me about their passion for languages, I begin to question what I've done with my life.

After a few hours of conversation and a meal, Mitch turns and picks up a small ceramic turtle sitting on a nearby shelf. For the first time, I notice it’s one of dozens of turtles scattered throughout their house, each perched on a platform of some kind.

Noticing that we’ve noticed the turtles, one of the Timm sons asks, "Do you know how the turtles get up there?" I shake my head. He beams and excitedly says, "Someone puts them there!"

I nod, unsure how to reply, and slowly return the turtle I’m holding back to its shelf. After a slightly awkward silence, Mark finally chimes in and explains that the turtles on the tables are meant to symbolize mentorship, community, and service.

"It would be impossible for a turtle to ascend to this height by itself. Someone must have helped it get there. They remind us that we're all standing on someone else's shoulders."

Of all the lessons I’ve learned in my life, I remember the Timm family’s turtles best. First, because I’d never seen so many turtles in one place. Second, because it’s a vivid reminder that none of us have ever accomplished anything entirely on our own.

Whether it’s our parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors, family friends, or previous experts in our field, we are all standing on someone’s shoulders. Work ethic, drive, and passion are necessary to be successful, but the most successful people realize they didn’t achieve their success alone.

Recognizing the contributions of others to our success demonstrates humility, makes our achievements relatable and repeatable for others, and encourages us all to strive to be someone else’s shoulders to stand on.

The next time you see a turtle on top, remember—it didn’t get there on its own.

Fact

GPS technology, used ubiquitously to track locations around the world, is only possible because of an obscure invention called the Atomic Clock.

Action

Choose one characteristic or value from someone's shoulders you've stood on to live out this week. For example, you could try being more patient like your Grandmother, or bold like your brother.

Question

Who believed in you before you believed in yourself?

Quote

"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." - Isaac Newton