In August 2008 or 2009, I went on a trip with my wife and children through the Carpathians. Following the advice of the locals, we went to… poloniny (Polonynas in Russian). While cities and villages are usually located in valleys and along rivers, polonynas are found deep in the mountains, beyond the second or even third range of peaks when you venture into the mountain massif. Roads to the polonynas are not marked on navigation maps, but the locals, considering our crossover an off-road vehicle, all confidently replied that we would be able to get there.
The road starts off paved, but the paving is old and done with whatever materials were available, so the surface looks so worn that it would be better if it weren’t there at all. This is further complicated by the fact that over time, the road has not only become uneven with folds and bumps, but has also sunk into the ground, creating high banks along the edges.
Then this road turns into a sunken dirt track with deep ruts, scattered boulders, and deep muddy puddles. There’s no way to go around it, and turning around is impossible. Continuing forward is frightening (after all, this is still happening on a fairly steep slope where you could easily flip over and roll all the way down). Going back is simply not an option, as there’s no reliable way to navigate in reverse past all the obstacles that have already been overcome.
We made it, spending 4 hours on a 30 km journey. If we had known the road would be like this, we definitely wouldn’t have started the trip. So why did we go? Simply because we had no other options. We couldn’t possibly turn back. exit strategy “as businesspeople say.”
What’s the point of all this? The point is that many significant successes people achieve are closely tied to the fact that they didn’t back down, didn’t give up, didn’t quit. You can call it strength of character, will to win, or something else, but I believe it’s simply a habit. From birth, humans are designed to pursue their goals. It’s ingrained in us. Look at animals, observe how small children strive to achieve what they want.
And so, as we grow up, we discover that sometimes it’s advantageous to give in, to retreat. At first, we retreat when moving forward is very difficult, then when it’s just hard, and eventually, when it’s simply uncomfortable. We get used to this option, we become dependent on it, and it becomes a habit for us. It’s just so easy.
So, it’s not about willpower or a person’s character, but rather about circumstances and habits that can be changed. At the same time, тыц. Текст для перевода: ..