The 48th World Economic Forum, to be held in Davos in late January 2018, will be held under the auspices of "Creating a common future in a devastated world." It will be marked by the presentation of the Crystal Awards - awards for achievements in improving public life.
The winner of the upcoming event, Elton John, on the eve of the award shared his thoughts and lessons, which, he said, he learned from difficult life situations.
For many years of his creative career and extensive social activities, including those related to the fight against AIDS, the musician notes that coming to leadership, the path is ambiguous and multifaceted, especially if a person is engaged in different spheres of activity. Elton John confesses that he took for himself the five most important lessons of life:
"I unequivocally came to the conclusion that it is simply necessary, first of all, to find a job for the soul, then an occupation that will embrace you completely. In this I was lucky from the very beginning, because already from the age of three I definitely knew that my life will be connected with music, the love of which I discovered after listening to the songs of Elvis Presley. Ahead was a long and difficult road to recognition, continually presenting numerous difficulties. One of the main opponents of my music studies was my father, who considered it simply unacceptable. But the passion completely embraced me, and I was determined. In the end, the received joy from music surpassed all my expectations. "
Test of Glory
But often, along with fame and success new experiences come, the original delightful taste of victory is lost and a new life attracts temptations, which carry away far from the chosen goal. Elton John was no exception, and soon the blessed glory became a real curse for the singer:
"I gradually began to dissolve in the world of drugs and alcohol, becoming more and more a scoundrel and an egoist - the rest of the world was losing its significance. But thanks to these tests, I understood the essence of the second lesson that my life gave me. In spite of everything, the true leader will remain faithful to the principles of morality both at the time of the fall and during the period of success. But, fortunately, everything in this life is in the hands of a person and he can change the situation. Hence the third lesson is the future of everyone in his own hands. "
Learn from the example of others
"In one of the most difficult periods of my life, I met Rayon White, an AIDS patient, who contracted a blood transfusion. His suffering was great, but on top of that he had to face human contempt and complete indifference. When I read about Ryan and his mother, I immediately wanted to somehow help this family. But, to be honest, it turned out that they helped me. I saw their resistance to the difficulties, the struggle against discrimination, and I myself was inspired to change my life and correct my own mistakes. I became fired with the desire to get rid of all my addictions. It was after this that I founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which is already a quarter of a century. For 25 years I have been calling on the public to pay attention to the AIDS problem and I help with raising funds for helping patients and fighting this terrible epidemic. This hard way led me to the fourth lesson. I realized that in life the most important and profound is the recognition of human values in society. Helping sick people, we ourselves are on the path of mutual support and healing. "
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Unity in the struggle for truth
The musician is sure that people should learn mutual assistance, because the progress achieved by mankind today is under great threat:
"The health issue in many countries is very acute. Poor families often do not have the opportunity to receive the most ordinary qualified assistance. Racial discrimination, intolerance towards transgender people, violence are some of the most painful problems in society. But not all is lost, and my fifth lesson is that progress is still possible and achievable. We can change this world for the better, but only by rallying and joining forces. I often observe at my concerts that Muslims and Christians, Arabs and Jews, people of different age groups and beliefs can unite in the love of music. Thanks to the fund that I created, I can fight against discrimination and false accusations, together with other activists, to defend the rights of people before the authorities. After all, the most important lesson is to learn to understand and accept a person and his values in this world. "