Persist – it pays off.
Persistence is key to success. This was something my friend kept repeating on Saturday. It was rather ironic given the context.
Through our own fault, we had not gotten tickets to a festival, and it sold out by the time we got there. The sold-out part, of course, we realised when we were on the way there. For a little while we tried to see if it was truly impossible, but soon enough, we understood our fate. So we started looking for alternative activities.
We decided on swimming. So we got to Genk, a Belgian city bordering the Netherlands, and made our way to the closest lake. It was not written on Google Maps, but swimming at this given lake was only for "club members". So we went on trying to find another lake. It was quite a hike. It was also rather warm – about 27 degrees.
On the way there, we saw some llamas. My friend called it a sign of our luck changing. Sure enough, after a few more llamas (they have a thing for llamas there), we got to go for a little swim in a lake.
It was not what we had in mind when going to Genk this weekend. Furthermore, a total of 4 hours of public transport for a 5-minute swim has a questionable return on investment. That being said, I did enjoy the discussions we had with my friend, which otherwise would not have happened.
This friend is a phenomenon. He seems to have his values set in stone since a young age – no alcohol, no nicotine, no coffee. He is currently a professional ultimate frisbee player for the Belgian national team. Yet with all of this supposed rigidity, he is a free soul. He tries new stuff constantly, questions things and generally stays out of his comfort zone.
I believe he has the right to say that perseverance is key to success because of how he became a professional ultimate player. He only found the sport a few years ago, yet he invested himself fully into it. Now, it is paying off.
This summer, he got to go to China to play; he has competitions all over Europe, and he might be going to North America for a season the upcoming year.
For my own context, I see the aphorism as a more instantaneous phenomenon. More specifically, that my struggles with accommodation leading up to my exchange in Canada are not in vain.
This Week’s Suggestions:
As I wandered the streets of Brussels on Friday evening, I happened to walk into Gimic Radio. There, by pure luck, I recognised the haircut of my friend who is also the artist behind this mix. We had not coordinated anything. We just happened to meet in that bar. So yes, good anecdote, but more importantly, if you want an exquisite listening experience, have a listen! He is the person who got me into this tasteful housey stuff!
Have a lovely week!
