Acharya Prashant addresses the question of why even so-called successful and great people seem to be caught in the same struggles as ordinary individuals. He begins by noting that the question itself contains a contradiction: if these people are truly great, why do they exhibit small behaviors? The solution, he explains, is to stop considering them great in the first place. The problem arises because we first label someone as great based on worldly standards and then become confused by their petty actions. To resolve this, one must not consider them great at all. He elaborates on this by introducing the concept of two dimensions: the horizontal plane of the world and the vertical dimension of spirituality. The world measures greatness by horizontal expansion—how much area one has covered in terms of wealth, property, fame, and influence. The world has no way to measure depth or height. Spirituality, conversely, measures greatness by the vertical dimension—how much one has risen above the worldly plane. The world measures how much you have spread out, while spirituality measures how high you have risen. The world is like a flat surface, and spirituality is the height one achieves from that surface. The world is the plane of ignorance (avidya), which is necessary as a launchpad, but the goal is not to expand on it but to rise from it. Using the analogy of a rocket, Acharya Prashant explains that just as a rocket needs a launchpad on the ground to take off, a person needs the world (worldly resources, knowledge, relationships) to rise spiritually. The purpose of all worldly things is to facilitate this vertical ascent. He criticizes two extremes: one is to endlessly pursue horizontal expansion (worldly accumulation), and the other is to renounce everything, believing that to be spiritual. Both are forms of foolishness. The true path is to use the world as a means to rise above it. The value of your resources, knowledge, or relationships should be judged by whether they help you attain inner height. If your wealth does not lead to a change in your level of being, it is useless. He concludes that one should not be surprised that people considered great by the world are often underdeveloped internally. The real surprise is that we consider them great at all. The world may confer upon them the highest awards, but if their actions have not given them inner height, they should not be considered great. The danger lies in emulating these worldly role models, which leads to a life of confusion. Instead of following others, one must find their own path through their own struggles and clarity. The purpose of life is not to spread out on the worldly plane but to use it to rise higher.