Recently, an online MK sports news article, titled “”, breathlessly chronicled the Republic of Korea’s dramatic qualification for the Round of 16 in the Doha World Cup as the second-place team in Group H. Literally, this process was the most dramatic, a true miracle.
We do not call everyday occurrences “miracles.” Son Heung-min, the Korean team’s captain and a “Sonsation” in the world of football, said this about his own success: “Today, you receive the price you paid yesterday. To receive the price tomorrow, you pay the price today. There is no post-payment. I restrain myself now, train, and run towards my dream.” In that case, the Korean team’s advancement to the Round of 16 was the direct result of grueling, bone-cutting training. An added miracle propelled the Korean team into the final 16. However, when they met Brazil in the quarterfinals, the miracle was not repeated. By definition, a miracle is not an everyday occurrence.
What price did the Korean football team and Son Heung-min have to pay? For the Taegeuk Warriors, there was no personal life. Training was everything. It is impossible to have everything. To achieve the one thing I prioritize, I must abandon some other important thing. The principle for becoming a professional is the same. By following the principle of focus, concentrating on priorities every day, and abandoning the ambition to be good at everything, one is forged into an exceptional leader. John Maxwell says this about success: “Everything worthwhile is uphill!” To reach the summit, you cannot take everything with you. The lighter your burden, the more likely you are to conquer the peak. When Sir Edmund Hillary first summited Mount Everest in 1953, if he had tried to take everything necessary for the climb, he would never have succeeded in the ascent. He was only able to conquer Everest because he climbed the mountain with just a few indispensable items.
Heo Tae-gyun, a social psychology professor, says that “compound flexibility”—the desire to pursue two things at once witRecently, an online MK sports news article, titled “”, breathlessly chronicled the Republic of Korea’s dramatic qualification for the Round of 16 in the Doha World Cup as the second-place team in Group H. Literally, this process was the most dramatic, a true miracle.
We do not call everyday occurrences “miracles.” Son Heung-min, the Korean team’s captain and a “Sonsation” in the world of football, said this about his own success: “Today, you receive the price you paid yesterday. To receive the price tomorrow, you pay the price today. There is no post-payment. I restrain myself now, train, and run towards my dream.” In that case, the Korean team’s advancement to the Round of 16 was the direct result of grueling, bone-cutting training. An added miracle propelled the Korean team into the final 16. However, when they met Brazil in the quarterfinals, the miracle was not repeated. By definition, a miracle is not an everyday occurrence.
What price did the Korean football team and Son Heung-min have to pay? For the Taegeuk Warriors, there was no personal life. Training was everything. It is impossible to have everything. To achieve the one thing I prioritize, I must abandon some other important thing. The principle for becoming a professional is the same. By following the principle of focus, concentrating on priorities every day, and abandoning the ambition to be good at everything, one is forged into an exceptional leader. John Maxwell says this about success: “Everything worthwhile is uphill!” To reach the summit, you cannot take everything with you. The lighter your burden, the more likely you are to conquer the peak. When Sir Edmund Hillary first summited Mount Everest in 1953, if he had tried to take everything necessary for the climb, he would never have succeeded in the ascent. He was only able to conquer Everest because he climbed the mountain with just a few indispensable items.
Heo Tae-gyun, a social psychology professor, says that “compound flexibility”—the desire to pursue two things at once without being able to give one up—is a universal Korean characteristic. According to Professor Heo, jjam-jjamyeon (a dish split between black bean noodles and spicy seafood noodles) is a perfect example of Korean compound flexibility. It is the psychology of not being able to give up either jjajangmyeon or jjamppong. However, he argues that there is no eating habit more regrettable than jjam-jjamyeon. The reason is that unless you put both the jjajangmyeon and jjamppong simultaneously into your mouth to enjoy the fantastic mix of flavors, the structure of jjam-jjamyeon means you can’t fully enjoy either dish. He recommends that you enjoy jjajangmyeon to the fullest today, and enjoy jjamppong to the fullest tomorrow instead. This is how you live life qualitatively.
The leadership required for achievement is the same. If we are trapped by the inherent Korean characteristic of compound flexibility, we will never taste exceptional achievement. You must give up something precious to acquire another precious something. You cannot possess it unless you lay it down. John 3:16 is one of the Bible verses that most accurately shows the meaning of Christmas: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God also gave up the most precious thing. As a result, He gained the most precious thing.
What to give up and what to gain depends on the leader’s mission and vision. However, if you want achievement in every aspect of life, you must give up what needs to be given up and concentrate on what needs to be pursued. Selection and concentration require bone-cutting effort. Alpinist Jim Whittaker said this: “Nobody conquers a mountain. They only conquer themselves.” A leader is not someone who conquers others. A leader is someone who conquers themselves. The hardest person for a leader to lead is always the leader themselves.
Not being able to give up is a universal Korean characteristic. According to Professor Heo, jjam-jjamyeon (a dish split between black bean noodles and spicy seafood noodles) is a perfect example of Korean compound flexibility. It is the psychology of not being able to give up either jjajangmyeon or jjamppong. However, he argues that there is no eating habit more regrettable than jjam-jjamyeon. The reason is that unless you put both the jjajangmyeon and jjamppong simultaneously into your mouth to enjoy the fantastic mix of flavors, the structure of jjam-jjamyeon means you can’t fully enjoy either dish. He recommends that you enjoy jjajangmyeon to the fullest today, and enjoy jjamppong to the fullest tomorrow instead. This is how you live life qualitatively.
The leadership required for achievement is the same. If we are trapped by the inherent Korean characteristic of compound flexibility, we will never taste exceptional achievement. You must give up something precious to acquire another precious something. You cannot possess it unless you lay it down. John 3:16 is one of the Bible verses that most accurately shows the meaning of Christmas: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God also gave up the most precious thing. As a result, He gained the most precious thing.
What to give up and what to gain depends on the leader’s mission and vision. However, if you want achievement in every aspect of life, you must give up what needs to be given up and concentrate on what needs to be pursued. Selection and concentration require bone-cutting effort. Alpinist Jim Whittaker said this: “Nobody conquers a mountain. They only conquer themselves.” A leader is not someone who conquers others. A leader is someone who conquers themselves. The hardest person for a leader to lead is always the leader themselves.