Be Willing To Do What's Hard

There are bound to be challenges, discomfort and hardship when you venture into your new business. But if you persist, do the right thing and stay focus, this Universe will reward you abundantly. You will taste the fruit of success, which is indeed very sweet.

With this, I draw your attention to this man who has a never-say-die attitude.

As a boy, he collected garbage and sold rice snacks to put himself through night school. He often went hungry, when even the beggars who were his neighbours had food to eat. He was also shy with girls. When he sold his snacks outside a girls’ school, he would cover his face with a straw hat whenever students walked past.

But he persevered, and won a place at the prestigious Korea University. After graduation, he joined a small firm – Hyundai Construction – as a clerk. His rise up the ranks was meteoric for his time, and he was the firm’s CEO when he was only 36. In the next two decades, he transformed Hyundai Construction into a global company, undertaking building projects in a number of countries. His rags-to-riches story is the stuff of TV soap operas, and indeed Mr Lee Myung Bak’s life was the subject of two Korean television dramas in 1990. he has now become part of Korean folklore.

And last Monday, 25 Feb 2008, he ascended to the highest office in South Korea. He is 66 years old. When he delivered his inaugural speech, he reminded Koreans that dreams do come true.
“A country boy who could not even eat regular meals… became the President of the Republic of Korea,” he said.

Dear friends, don’t let your complacency and comfort zones become your worst foes in life. You only live once.