The Tortoise and the Hare, an Aesop’s Fable about a race between the two. A race of the slow tortoise winning due to the arrogance of the hare.
I however would argue that the tortoise didn't just win because of it’s perseverance. It won because of three additional crucial ingredients that helped the tortoises’ chance of success. First, the tortoise is aware due to the Hare’s arrogant attitude, the hare would take a nap half-way through race. The tortoise had a valuable insight, he had information and was smart enough to create a strategy around it.
However, even if the tortoise had this crucial piece of data, and had the brains to formulate a strategy to win the race. The winning strategy would not be constructed if tortoise were not aware that it had the physical capability to finish the race, albeit in a slow & steady manner. Self-awareness is as crucial as knowing about your competitors.
Finally, self-belief. Even if the tortoise had easily come up with a plan to win the race, it would be for nothing if the tortoise had no confidence in itself to execute & persevere in said plan.
Strategy. Self-Awareness. Self-Belief.
Is this an observation only in fiction? Let’s look at how Apple, the innovative technology company that was willing to compete with IBM to popularize the concept of the personal computer. Steve Jobs saw an emerging market for computers for personal usage. He had the insight, he knew he had an advantage while IBM was not aware and he developed a strategy. Just like the tortoise.
Steve Jobs was known for pushing his team to strive for excellence. He was aware of the potential that his team had, and also his own capacity to inspire & lead them to achieve such excellence. Was this a result of him practising Zen Mindfulness? Perhaps. Or was it because had a strong self-belief that he had in himself?
Self-belief. Steve Jobs was a visionary and had a strong belief that matched it. ““Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life or come with me and change the world?”, was what he said to John Sculley, ex-CEO of PepsiCo, who later became CEO of Apple. Steve Jobs was in his 20s then. That is how much confidence he has in his own company. IF that is not self-belief, I don't know what is.
Strategy. Self-Awareness. Self-Belief.
I believe that is what’s unique about successful innovators. Sounds obvious. Sounds like an over-simplification, right? But I believe there is something more than meets the eye. Unlike the tortoise, Steve Jobs' rise is meteoric. Unlike Steve Jobs, there are many other industry leaders who innovate but in a way that is unique to them and still reaching similar levels of success. Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos to name a few. Each of them, have their own strategy, their own way of being 'self-aware' and their own unique set of beliefs that propels their action.
