Socrates Desire and Persistence: The Secret to Success

Edited by Cui Lishan

A young man asked Socrates the secret to success, Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river the next morning.

They met. Socrates asked the young man to walk with him toward the river. When the water got up to their neck, Socrates took the young man by surprise and ducked him into the water. The boy struggled to get out but Socrates was strong and kept him there until the boy started turning blue.

Socrates pulled his head out of the water and the first thingthe young man did was to gasp and take a deep breath of air.

Socrates asked, “What did you want the most when you were there?” The boy replied, “Air.” Socrates said, “That is the secret to success. When you want success as badly as you wanted the air, then you will get it！”

A young man asked Socrates for the secret of success, and Socrates asked the young man to meet him by the river the next morning.

After they met, Socrates told the young man to go with him into the river, and when the river flooded to their necks, Socrates unexpectedly grabbed the young man and pressed him into the water, and the man tried to break out of the water, and the strong and powerful Socrates pressed him into the water until he became powerless to fight and his face turned blue.

Socrates dragged his head out of the water, and the first thing the young man did was take a deep breath after taking a big breath.

Socrates asked, "What do you want most when you are bored in the water?" The young man replied, "Air." Socrates said, "That's the secret to success." When you crave success as much as you crave air, you can get it! ”

The hardest part is persistence

On the first day of school, the great Greek philosopher Socrates said to the students: "Today we learn only one of the simplest and easiest things to do." Each person threw his arm forward. Then try to throw it back as much as possible. "Saying, Socrates demonstrated it again." Start today. Do 300 beats a day. Can you do it?"

The students all laughed. What's not to like about something as simple as that? After a month. Socrates asked the students, 'Throw your hands 300 times a day. Which students insisted?" Some 90% of the students proudly raised their hands.

After another month, Socrates asked again, and only 80% of the students remained this time. A year later, Socrates asked everyone again: "Please tell me, the simplest hand-throwing exercise, which other students insisted?"

Only one person in the entire classroom raised his hand. This student was Plato, who later became another great philosopher of ancient Greece.

On the first day of school, Socrates, the great philosopher of ancient Greece, said to the students, "Today we learn only the simplest and easiest thing to do.

Everyone throws their arms forward as far as possible and then as far back as possible. Say, Socrates demonstrates it once. "Starting today, do 300 times a day. Can you all do that?“

The students all laughed. After a month, Socrates asked the students,'Throw your hands 300 times a day. Which students insisted?' Some 90% of the students raised their hands proudly.

Another month later, Socrates asked again, this time only 80% of the students had persevered.

A year later, Socrates asked all of them again, "Tell me, the simplest hand-shaking exercise, which other students insisted?" Only one person in the classroom raised his hand. This student was Plato, who later became another great philosopher in ancient Greece.

Extended Materials:

Other anecdotes of Socrates

Wheat

Ancient Greece had a scholar named Socrates. One day, he led a few disciples to the edge of a wheat field. It was the harvest season, and the fields were full of heavy ears of wheat. Socrates said to his disciples, "Go and pick the greatest ear of wheat in the wheat field, and you are only allowed to enter and not to retreat, and I will wait for you at the end of the wheat field." ”

After the disciples understood the teacher's request, they went into the wheat field.

The field is full of ears of barley, which one is the biggest? The disciples buried their heads and walked forward. Look at this strain, shake your head; look at that strain, and shake your head again. They always thought that the biggest spike was still ahead. Although the disciples also tried to pick a few spikes, they were not satisfied and threw them away. They always think that there are still many opportunities, and there is no need to decide prematurely.

The disciples walked forward with their heads bowed, and they carefully picked and chose, and after a long time.

Suddenly, everyone heard Socrates' old bell-like voice: "You have come to an end." At this moment, the empty-handed disciples woke up like a dream, and they looked back at the wheat ridge, and countless wheat plants shook their heads, as if they were sorry for them.

Socrates said to his disciples, "There must be an ear in this field of wheat which is the largest, but you may not be able to touch it; even if you do, you may not be able to make an accurate judgment." So the biggest spike is what you just picked. ”

The disciples of Socrates listened to the teacher's words and realized that man's whole life seems to be walking in the wheat field, looking for the greatest ear.

Some people see the "ear of wheat" full of grains and lose no time in picking it; others look around and miss the opportunity again and again. Of course, the pursuit should be the greatest, but holding the spike in front of you is real.