No one in this world wants to bear another's burden unnecessarily. Surely, we all remember the story of Sinbad and the old man from Arabian Nights. After a shipwreck, Sinbad found himself alone on an island. Near a small waterfall, he saw a nearly naked man. Sinbad thought he must be a capable person like himself—perhaps also stranded there after losing everything in a shipwreck.
The man explained to Sinbad that he could not walk and asked to be carried on Sinbad’s shoulders to a nearby spring to quench his thirst. Out of sympathy, Sinbad lifted him onto his shoulders. And what happened after that—we all know. The man refused to get down. Once on Sinbad’s shoulders, he clutched Sinbad’s neck with such iron strength that Sinbad could hardly breathe. Eventually, with a clever trick, Sinbad had to kill the man to free himself of the burden.
So it goes without saying—no one carries anyone’s burden in this world without reason or at their own risk. Whether it's a job, a business, social life, or the state—one must prove themselves to be necessary and competent in every sphere. Those who fail to prove their necessity become sidelined. The best way to make oneself capable is to perform one's responsibilities properly. We can recall a quote by Martin Luther King Jr.:
"We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny."
What this speaks to is indispensability. If the thread of that mutual understanding or work breaks, indispensability vanishes.
There are also people who forcefully believe themselves to be essential. But wise individuals never think that way. Once, before he became famous, a player complained to his coach that the media wasn’t giving him attention. The coach replied, “First, perform brilliantly—then you’ll see how journalists hunt you down like paparazzi.”
So, in today’s competitive world, there is no alternative to proving one’s competence. To keep pace with the times, a responsible person must continuously enhance their abilities, skills, and work ethic. Times are changing. So are demands. The necessity for professional skills is also evolving.
And finally, as the saying goes, a tree is known by its fruit.
No matter how many plans an unqualified person makes, no matter how opportunistic they are—if they remain ultimately incompetent, they will not be able to hide it. Therefore, there is no alternative to truly developing one’s skills. Nor is there any alternative to hard work. That’s why the saying goes in English:
“Learn in the job and learn to be in the job.”
In other words, learn while working, and also learn to stay employable. If someone works tirelessly, their worth will surely be recognized. Just as the sun lights up the whole world when it rises, so too does skill shine and spread like light.
Thus, to make oneself indispensable, one must become truly capable and active. Otherwise, like Sinbad’s unwanted burden, no one will carry the weight of an incompetent and unnecessary person. They will be thrown off—if not today, then tomorrow.
That is the reality of the world.
