Outstanding People

To my mind, an outstanding person is someone who has made a great contribution to the society and has made some exceptional achievements. Therefore, such people become famous and get recognition all over the world.

It goes without saying, that Belarus, as well as any other country, has numerous national heroes, who made a lot for the development of our native land. Their names are given to streets and avenues and they are well known both in our republic and abroad. One of such prominent historical figures was Euphrosyne of Polotsk. She is considered the patron saint of our country. She devoted her life to helping the poor and building churches and monasteries across Belarus. Another example of a notable person is Francysk Skoryna - a Belarusian printer and translator, who laid the foundation for the development of our language. And of course we are proud of our exceptional sportsmen – the heroes of modern Belarusian history. For example, Alexander Medved - the best freestyle wrestler of the 20th century or Olga Korbut - the legendary gymnast who won four Olympic Gold medals or Darya Domracheva - a Belarusian biathlete and an Olympic champion who is the first female Hero of Belarus.

Obviously, Great Britain has its fair share of outstanding people too. The whole world knows the name of William Shakespeare - the greatest English playwright who wrote lots of poems and plays, including such masterpieces as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. And a British sailor Captain James Cook was probably the greatest explorer of the eighteenth century. He visited New Zealand, established the first European colony in Australia, and was the first European to visit Hawaii.

Are outstanding people born or made? Let’s remember the example of Thomas Edison. He was an American inventor, scientist and businessman who invented and developed numerous useful devices that changed our daily life - for instance, the electric light bulb. But when he was a child he was considered inattentive and stupid. How did he develop his talents? Well, he was always curious about the world around him and he was a very hard worker. And what’s most important - his mother always encouraged him and believed in his abilities.

Many outstanding people don’t focus only on one field, but can successfully combine art and science. For instance, Leonardo da Vinci was both a great painter who created such masterpieces as The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and a prominent inventor who invented such things as the helicopter, the parachute and the hang glider. Brian May is a legendary British rock star, but he also has a PhD in astrophysics and studies space debris.

A businessman can be an outstanding person as well. Take Steve Jobs, for example. He wasn’t the smartest man in the room, but he had the imagination and persistence to turn a smart idea into the best product.

Can you do something of great importance at the young age? Absolutely! Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, successfully brought the world’s attention to the issue of women’s education in Pakistan when she was only 16.

However, you should remember that the road to success isn’t exactly a bed of roses. Many outstanding people faced numerous problems. For instance, Henry Ford’s early businesses failed and left him broke five times before he founded the famous Ford Motor Company. Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper because " he lacked imagination and had no good ideas. " But that only made them work harder and their failures were just the first steps towards success.

Finally, anyone who wants to become an outstanding person should remember, that his or her actions may have both positive and negative results. Christopher Columbus was not only a brave explorer who discovered America, but also a ruthless and cruel villain who brought suffering, slavery and death to millions of people. Napoleon Bonaparte was a brave military officer who saved the Republic from foreign invasions, but he also became a tyrant and reinforced slavery in French colonies.

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