Inspiration- Part 1
Part 1 of a small journey through the influences and inspiration that I feel are worth sharing. First up: career, love, and resilience.
On Career and Love
Diane von Furstenburg
A woman who is absolutely unapologetic about her decisions regarding her career and love life. In case you've not heard of her, she designed the dress that was to become the costume of the sexual revolution (the wrap dress). That fine, Italian jersey dress that is held on your body by nothing more than a knot in a fabric belt. Able to be slipped on and off in a moment.
By all measures, Diane lived an extraordinary life. Not only married a prince but had many famous lovers, made and lost fortunes more than once, built an empire.
In every interview I've read of hers, I find myself scribbling down quotes. They resonate with me deeply. Diane is full of strength and personality. She is inspiring to me not because she is successful, but that she did it all on her own terms.
"I can have a man's life in a woman's body".
What woman doesn't dream of living a life free of double standards, social pressures and gender expectations? Hell ya!
I don't mind living and working in a man's world. I aspire to many of the things they have-- most especially the thing they take for granted most often. That they can put career first and no one questions it. That is a man's life.
"I have this habit I inherited from my mother that somehow transforms what's bad into something good, so in the end, I don't remember what was bad".
Although there have been some shocks or set-backs that took me longer to process than others (2013 comes to mind), I seem to transform the bad to something meaningful. Like Diane, my mother was the one who helped shape this habit, listening to our problems and trying to help us find the lesson or the upside.
I would argue that this approach is much different than simply burying emotions or refusing to process events. Like I said, the transformative thinking doesn't happen instantaneously but rather, over time. With lives as long as the ones we are able to have, it makes a lot of sense that I choose to accumulate lessons and cultivate positive thinking. The alternative seems rather depressing and would come with a lot of baggage.
"For me, falling in love wasn't a need — it was an adventure".
I am a fan of this style of thinking because to means you are placing emphasis on the experience rather than the outcome. To "need" love is to be a person in search of missing pieces, rather than being a whole person, facing life and experiencing the thrill of meeting their equal. It is very easy to "be" with someone, but much harder to choose to be on your own. Diane talks frequently of how many times she's been in love and that her passion for the relationship didn't diminish in proportion to the number of heartbreaks she had faced. Each person that enters your life represents a unique adventure.
"Passion and persistence are what matter. Dreams are achievable and you can make your fantasy come true, but there are no shortcuts. Nothing happens without hard work."
Thank you. This needs to be said. Hard work doesn't just mean grinding out long days, but it also means returning to the problem many times, with many different approaches, never truly being willing to succumb to a second place finish. "Sticking with the problem," is a necessary step to reaching your dreams.
Recommended reading: "A Life Unwrapped" (2015) and "The Woman I Wanted to Be" (2014).
On Resilience
Next time you think you're ready to throw in the towel, remind yourself of the story of Moroccon runner, Hicham El Guerrouj. His journey is remarkable. I feel this story holds the solution to overcoming the feelings of regret-- attack your highest goals without holding back a single ounce of effort. "Leave it all on the field". When we don't test ourselves for fear of failure, we suffer immense psychological upset and years of "I could have…" or "I almost…". El Guerrouj had a vision, and allowed nothing to deter him from pursuing it with his whole effort.
There was no permanent link for the story I found on El Guerrouj's, so thank you to Pranav Park for the well-written narrative.
On 14th September 1974, a thin, lanky-looking child was born in a small village in Morocco. At a very young of 10, the boy discovered his passion for running. He would run around the streets of his village barefoot. He would often say, “My dream is to become an athlete. My dream is to represent my country. My dream is to mount the podium at the Olympics.”
His parents severely discouraged his ambitions. Probably because of poverty. The reason is unknown. But all this boy would do is run, run and run.
At the age of 16, he began training at the Moroccan National Athletic Centre in Rabat. His passion for running did not go unnoticed. His coach was very impressed with his endurance. The boy wouldn’t stop running. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. Everyone knew the boy would achieve something great. But no one knew his time would come so soon.
At the age of 16, in 1992, he would go on to win the gold at World Junior Athletic championships in 1500 metres. More than the victory it was the way in which he won the race: the sheer confidence, superior endurance and the winning character, hinted his coach that this guy is no ordinary guy.
After a series of thundering victories, he would go on to compete as a favourite at the 1996 Atlanta olympics. He had only one aim in mind: Gold medal. And he was well on way to that target. He was leading the race until the last lap. The commentators were praising his running and the crowd cheering him. Just then the unexpected happened!
He fell down.
With just 400 more metres to go before he could achieve his dreams, he twisted his leg accidentally and fell down. Never-the-less, he got up and resumed the race. He finished 12th. The young guy was devastated. No one from his country had gained so much prominence at world athletics before. He felt guilty of letting his country down.
But the guy wouldn’t give up.
He went back home and started high-altitude mountain training with his coach. Training under less oxygen, he would train so hard that the physical agony would sometimes tempt him to quit and go down to lower altitude and train.
But he wouldn’t give up. He just had one aim in mind: An olympic gold medal.
Empowered by his high altitude training, he would go on to create a new world record in 1500 metres and win 28 straight races. He would then enter the 2000 Sydney olympics as a favourite again for the second time. After 4 years, he now had another opportunity to win a Gold medal for his country.
This time he was hell-bent on winning the gold medal. ‘No matter what!’ he told himself. ‘Do or Die’ he told himself.
He would run a great race. He would be in gold medal position till the last 50 meters of the race. Everyone knew he would win the gold. But just then, the unexpected happened!
Noah Ngeny of Kenya would sneak in from behind him and sprint to the finish line to take the gold. The Moroccan was devastated. His silver medal was a major let down considering his recent form and success streak. His failed for the second time in his aim of winning an olympic gold for his country. That too, despite putting in all the necessary efforts, despite all the training and despite the right mental attitude. He was being written off as an athlete who would win many major events but not the Olympics! Poor guy, many people would think.
But the guy wouldn’t give up. He did not have time for self-pity.
He went back and resumed his training. He would rise to prominence once again. With two major world titles and an undefeated streak in the past three years, he had now won gold in 80 out of 83 races that he competed in the 2004 season.
This time he was mentally dead-confident of winning at the Athens 2004 olympics. But the unlucky streak this time struck him, ironically, through his ever-vibrant physical body. Just three months before the olympics, the unexpected happened. He would suffer from severe allergic reactions and respiratory infections. He would go on to badly lose the final two competitions just before the olympics. No one expected him to perform well at Athens.
He would once again (for the third time) enter the 2004 Athens Olympics, but this time not as a favourite. Just 20 days before the olympics, Bernard Lagatfrom USA would go on to run the fastest 1500 metres time in 2004 and also defeat the Moroccan in the race.
He was emotionally shattered. All the odds were against him.
But the guy wouldn’t give up. He had no time for analysis and statistics. It was his final chance. Dot.
He stood there at the 1500 metres start point. He imagined himself as a fresher. He started his race firmly, as if a new runner would start. As he progressed through the race, he started feeling his physical weaknesses. He had never gasped for breathe so early in the race.
But he did not give up. This was his last chance.
He would later say, “I pictured the losses at the Atlanta and the Sydney olympics all over again. I decided to accelerate and take the lead. I started talking to myself, telling my body to perform well and stay patient”
Well, his body did respond. He took the lead and accelerated. He wouldn’t stop. All he would do is run, run and run. He pictured all his childhood days running through the streets of Morocco.
He was now in the home straight (last 100 metres) of the race. He could see the finish line. Just 90 more metres before his dream comes true. He kept pushing and kept instructing his body to keep running and to be patient. All eyes were on this guy and Bernard Lagat, the only other competitor close to him. The crowd was going mad cheering his name. They somehow felt, the Moroccan deserved to win this race. It was a debt long due. But Bernard Lagat would also not give up. He sprinted hard ahead of the Moroccan with just 50 more metres to go. The Moroccan was left behind. He could not accelerate more. He could see his dreams falling apart. The crowd began to feel another big let down. But just then the unexpected happened!
From nowhere, the Moroccan started sprinting harder. Only 30 more meters for his dream to come true. His competitor from USA would not give up easily either. It was a neck to neck thrilling finish. Did the moroccan guy give up…..? Did USA win the gold…?
A blink of an eye and you couldn’t tell who won the race. The Moroccan defeated Bernard Lagat from USA by 0.12 seconds to win the race.
The guy could not believe it. He finally achieved his dream. He would kneel down on the athletic turf and pray to Allah. He would then start weeping like a child. The tears of years of pain, frustration, agony, determination and conviction. He would go into the stands, hug his wife and kiss his baby daughter.
“I wanted my daughter to bring me luck. And she did” he would later say.
On the victory podium, as the Moroccan national anthem was being played, he would weep. Tears of an emotional Moroccan would fall on the olympic gold medal podium at Athens.
But boy, did he stop there?
4 days later, the guy would compete in his first ever olympic 5000 metres final. No one has ever competed for the first time in an olympic final and won it. But he went ahead with the race. His ambition was already fulfilled. He had nothing to lose.
In one of the most remarkable races in the olympics history, a race which gave goosebumps to everyone in the audience, he would go on to win the gold in 5000 metres as well.
He would become the first man in 80 years to win both 1500m and 5000m titles in the same Olympics, previously achieved only by one other person in 1924. He would go on to be considered as the greatest middle distance runner of all time. He is still the current 1500 metres world record holder.
