Classic Book Recommendations: The Old Man and the Sea
Article provided by Rain.
When I first read the book “The Old Man and the Sea“, I was still a teenager.
The book is not thick. I tried to understand the strength of a tough man. Although most of the so-called understanding is just a child’s imagination.
What I can remember is a small boat, an old man, alone on the sea. Although he caught a big fish, he returned to land empty-handed.
And I just remember this sentence:
A man is not made for defeat. A man can be destroyed but not defeated.
In middle age, especially after I became an entrepreneur myself, looking at this book again, this is not a story about fishing at all. This is clearly a portrayal of the real life of an entrepreneur, especially a serial entrepreneur.
Not catching any fish for 84 days, and resolutely setting off alone into the deep sea on the 85th day. Before obtaining the initial harvest in entrepreneurship, there will be a long period of time when only continuous investment is made without seeing when the harvest will come. All one can do is resolutely set off again.
In order to catch a big fish that is 18 feet (6 meters) long and weighs more than 1500 pounds, he wrestled with it on the sea for a full two days and two nights. As long as there can be results, let alone two days and two nights, any more investment and effort will be worth it.
If only the boy were here. The old man always has this thought when fighting with the fish. Entrepreneurs are the loneliest people in the world. Before they achieve success, no matter how much they long for a helper to appear by their side, they must understand that these are all delusions. At this stage, the only one they can rely on is themselves.
On the way back, the big fish was eaten up clean by sharks. Various risks on the road of entrepreneurship can be competition from peers, changes in the market, or even an unimportant decision at the beginning, which may erode all achievements. Risk control is extremely important.
Returning home with an 18-foot-long fish skeleton, seemingly without any gain but winning the respect of others. Fortunately, although there are all kinds of difficulties and obstacles on the road of entrepreneurship, and one may not even be able to land safely with money, the accomplished things are real achievements there. Enough for one to hold one’s chest high, and even dream of lions when falling asleep.
This sentence in the book is for all of us to encourage each other:
Every day is a new day. It is good to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. In this way, when luck comes, you will be prepared.
Link: “The Old Man and the Sea” (it is mobi format, after downloading, kindly use Kindle to open.)
书并不厚，尝试着去理解一个硬汉子的坚强，尽管所谓的理解绝大部分也不过是一个孩子的想象。
能记住的就是一艘小船，一个老人，孤独的在大海上，尽管打到了一条大鱼，却是空手回到陆地。
以及记住了这句话而已：
人不是生来要给打败的，你尽可把他消灭掉，可就是打不败他
人到中年，特别是自己也成为了一个创业者之后再看这本书，这哪里是一个关于打鱼的故事，这分明是创业者，特别是一个连续创业者真实生活的写照嘛
84天不曾打到任何一条鱼，于85天毅然继续一个人出发深入大海 – 在创业能够获取到最初的收获之前，会有一段漫长的时间只有不断地投入，而看不到收获什么时候到来。能够做的就是毅然决然，继续出发
为了打到一条长达18英尺（6米），重量超过1500磅的大鱼，在大海上与之周旋了整整2天2夜 – 只有能有成果，别说2天2夜了，再多的投入和付出也会是值得的
要是那个男孩在就好了，老人在和鱼搏斗的时候总是有这个念头 – 创业者是这个世界上最孤独的人，在自己获得成功之前，无论多么渴望身边有一个帮手可以出现，但是自己都要明白，这些都是妄想，能靠得住的现阶段有且只有自己
在返程途中，大鱼被鲨鱼吃了个干净 – 创业路上的各种风险，可以是同行的竞争，可以是市场的变化，甚至是一个一开始不重要的决策，都有可能蚕食掉所有的成果。风险的控制极为重要
带着18英尺长的鱼骨架回到家，看似一无所获却赢得了他人的尊重 – 值得庆幸的是，尽管创业这条路上有各种艰难险阻，甚至未必能带着钱平安落地，但是做成的事情却是实实在在在那里的成就，足够自己挺着胸膛，即便在入梦的时候也能梦见狮子
书中这个句子，与诸君共勉：
每一天都是一个新的日子。走运当然是好。不过我情愿做到分毫不差。这样，运气来的时候，你就有所准备了
链接：电子书
Related: the Lion and the Sheep