..this ad (genius of the local King James agency) is such a beautiful illustration of taking the long term view. Of course it’s an inclusion in the Endurance category. Well done Allan Gray.
Thank you loveliest Leoni for telling me about it [she is almost through the endurance of bringing a gorgeous little girl into the world & into our circle of friends. We have no doubt she'll grow up to be beautiful like her mama too ].
Archive for the 'endurance' Category
Okay so it has only been a few days, but the endurance thing appears 
to be infusing into the psyche.
I’ve been writing all over the place, next stop SA Rocks (if Nic Haralambous will have me back!) & hopefully I can hold steady this time.
<< this post on Thought Leader is one that may require some
endurance on your part, it’s not a quickie, but if you’re following the Endurance month theme with me, it may be worth it.
Within the Chinese lunar calendar, a brand new 12 year cycle has begun today, with the celebration of New Year (7th Feb 2008). Expect to see a renewed surge of trades and strong moves from China this year.
The Year of the Rat is considered very auspicious for wealth, shrewd business dealings, love, family and general prosperity.
Whether merely due to placebo effect or common consciousness; for a culture steeped in (what we deem to be) superstition, the sheer volume of subconscious belief is predicted to have groundswell effect on an already burgeoning economy, as more risks and new business have been awaiting the turn into the new cycle.
If ever there was a nation that embodied endurance, it has to be the China, whose people have no fear of 100 year + plans. Those that stretch far beyond individual lives. And it appears that their strategy has worked, with the unstoppable exponential capacity to increasingly dominate the world on their terms; all without a war. Clearly they were reading their Sun Tzu.
In honour of Chinese culture, and this month’s theme of endurance, I’d love to share one of my favourite fairytales (as retold by Chin Ning Chu)
In the North Sea of China, the legend says, “there is a fish called Kun which is thousands of metres long. This great fish evolves into a bird called Pung. Pung also measures thousands of metres long. Swooping as he flies, his wings expand like the clouds covering the sky, Pung flies over the great sea southward to his destination: the Celestial Pool.
“The great Pung flies toward the South Sea, beating the water with his majestic wings for over three thousand kilometres; but first he spins the wind into a tornado that rises to a height of ninety thousand kilometres. It takes six months to reach such a height; only then is the Pung bird ready.
Now with the Pung’s back against the pure blue sky and nothing blocking it, the Pung can set upon his course southward with no obstacles. How can one compare such magnitude with the morning mists, the dust, or the insignificant creatures?
If the water is not deep, it cannot support a large ship; but empty a cup of water on the shallow floor, and a straw can float like a boat. If you place a cup there, it will sink. In the same way, if the wind is not sufficient, it cannot support huge wings. Only at a height of ninety thousand kilometres is there enough space to support the Pung. So the Pung can finally begin his great journey.”
So it is with many who are here to do great works.
Keep going. Never surrender (thank you Mr Churchill)
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realise how close they were to success when they gave up.” - Thomas Edison, a master of success through unwavering endurance.
Wherever you need it in your life right now, and we all need the formidable fuel of tenacity in some aspect of our lives.. I wish you the strength of staying power. And perhaps a little re.New Year’s (and fresh 12year cycle of new energy) wish. Just maybe the Chinese aren’t wrong about this one.
PS. this pic is from New Year here in Cape Town 01.01.08 the first sunrise at the tip of Africa.. the story of Pung blazed into life for me again. May it pop into your head when you most need it too.
Never surrender.
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this post is part of the monthly theme on Endurance
found here on Hunter of Genius & beyond.
Tenacity: staying power, fortitude, perseverance, persistence, tenacity, doggedness, grit, resolution, stamina, determination, endurance.
For all of you who believe that genius is about superhuman intellect or world-encompassing insight on command. If you’ve ever been led to believe that working hard infers that you aren’t bright enough to achieve dazzling success on your first pass.
This one is for you.
It’s for those whose vision simply banishes the option of a safe job and bowing to social expectation of settling. For the restless and driven who withstand scorn and scoff of their ideas and persist through countless failures. For those who challenge the impossible.
The difficult is that which can be done immediately; the impossible that which takes a little longer.
- philosopher George Santayana
Many of our species have defied the impossible:
Roger Bannister shattering the myth of the 4minute mile, the Wright brothers giving humans wings, Walt Disney building a kingdom around a talking mouse.. the list goes on through those who reshaped possibilty on a large scale.
To almost all great ones it wasn’t some effortless conspiring of the “Universe” in the fashion of The Secret that powered their world.changing efforts.
Their successes came, borne of sweat, frustration and failure. Yet there is a persistent belief that if you have to work hard it must mean that you aren’t all that smart. We’re seduced into believing the diet pill fantasy. Our society tumbling into soft.headed infatuation with these promising shortcuts to success, like a love.sick teenager not yet topped up with common.sense or cynicism.
If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem wonderful at all. - Michelangelo
There is one inherently surprising quality to genius (as opposed to fast and hard street smarts for example). It is fragile. Genius is not inherited, unlike genetically-transmittable talents. It is volatile and easily crushed and muted by insult.
Which is why the unrelenting armour of tenacity is so needed as its accompaniment.
The armour your ally against the resistance, laughter, ego.bashing rejections and smug enjoyment you provide for detractors when you make mis.takes.
In China, this strategy comes through the development of an impenetrable “thick face”. Don the armour of determination if you have a truly innovative idea with world.changing capability, and buckle down for what may be a bumpy ride for the ego on that less.travelled road.
It may not make rational sense, looking at the radical pace of technology, but the world is curiously opposed to new ideas (the REALLY new ones that solve problems of long.standing inefficiencies in particular). Determination is wedded to a long.term strategy which will see you through the short term relief opportunities that come up. The quick money offers, the safer jobs and status upgrades, pay.off’s or even sidestepping physical threat as your ideas meet the market.
Great ideas are cheap and plentiful. Those who will actually work to make sure they happen, precious few. I finally realised we have no lack of passionate brilliant people with ingenious solutions. We have all the available capability to deal with the world’s woes very effectively. But the proportion of people who are prepared to risk their own time, money, reputation on birthing their ideas? And then the proportion left after a year or so? Or those who could have the patience to bear 50,000 experiments to perfect the alkaline battery for example?
Only genius buffered by tenacity would refuse to give up or settle for good enough.
Computer engineer & mathematician Howard Aiken said it best “Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you’ll have to ram them down people’s throats“
That’s why NDA’s are a giggle for the most part these days. If it’s a really great concept, good luck! because there are special devils set aside that will ensure that it is forged and fortified with its dues in time, sweat & tears.
Regardless of whether it’s a clean alternative fuel, getting your body in shape, or getting your business to get to the point where it pays without pain: endurance pays off, exponentially.
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not; un-rewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
-Calvin Coolidge
Genius provides the visionary ignition spark and your tenacity ensures you get there, in one piece.
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this post is part of the monthly theme on Endurance
found here on Hunter of Genius & beyond.
