Our age often glorifies the solo achiever. The entrepreneur who builds an empire from a spare bedroom. The professional who handles every crisis without blinking. Independence is celebrated as the ultimate strength.
But beneath the admiration lies a quieter reality: no life can be balanced, healthy, or truly successful without a circle of support.
Interdependence, Not Isolation
Even the strongest systems are made of many parts. Ecosystems flourish through interdependence, not isolation. Cities thrive because countless people bring unique skills to shared problems. In the Christian tradition, even God is described as a Trinity — a reminder that connection is woven into the fabric of existence.
Expecting to stand alone is not resilience. It’s a fragile illusion.
The Cost of “I Can Do It All”
The first cost of the “I can do it all” mindset is isolation. When we believe that one person — perhaps a partner, a parent, or even ourselves — can provide everything, we shrink our world. Our perspectives narrow. We risk missing the wisdom, challenge, and comfort that different voices bring.
Next comes strain. A single friendship or family tie, however strong, cannot carry the weight of every emotional and practical need. When we lean on one relationship for everything, we place pressure where companionship should be light. The result is exhaustion for everyone involved.
The Gift of Many Hands
The alternative is a vibrant network of relationships. Friends who offer laughter and perspective. Family members who hold our history. Mentors and colleagues who push our growth. Each connection adds a unique layer of insight and care. Together, they create a safety net no single individual could provide.
Building such a network is not about accumulating contacts. It is about cultivating a few genuine relationships and showing up for them — regular calls, shared meals, community projects, small acts of mutual support. These moments, though ordinary, weave a fabric of belonging that sustains us when life presses hard.
Success Is Never a Solo Story
Success, too, depends on this web of connection. Ideas sharpen in conversation. Opportunities often come through a friend’s recommendation or a colleague’s encouragement. Behind every career milestone is a community that offered guidance, critique, or simply the courage to keep going.
Strength in Circles, Not Silos
To anyone convinced they must handle everything alone: you don’t. Reaching out is not weakness, it is wisdom. Strength is found in a circle of people who bring different strengths and perspectives, and who remind us we are more than our to-do lists.
Life is not meant to balance on a single pillar. It is meant to be held by many hands — family, friends, mentors, neighbors — each offering what the others cannot. Interdependence is not a compromise of independence; it is the design that allows us to flourish.
AUTHOR Daniel Ng’ang’a
Daniel is a student at Murang’a University of Technology, a software developer, and an environmentalist. He is among the key founders of the Wildlife and Environmental Club (WECMUT)at the University
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