By Feng Lun

Knack forSuccess: A d justing Yo ur Mindset

By Feng Lun

I once attended a conference in Northern Taiwan concerning environmental protection.During the break,together with some friends,I visited a market.In fact,what attracted me was not the market,but the“1-2-3 Dumpling House”inside.

Behind this dumpling house, there is an inspiring story:Many years ago,there was a big investor who made a lot of money.While he was working hard to make more and more money,he hardly paid attention to his wife,who spent her spare time selling homemade dumplings in the market.Nevertheless,it was exactly the wife’s unintentional behavior that enhanced their family’s resilience,and helped to turn crisis into opportunity.

After a stock market crash,the investor was left bankrupt.With debts to pay off and a living to make,he had no choice but to help his wife make dumplings.In the beginning,he felt embarrassed and ashamed when costumers regarded him as an owner of a dumpling house.Over time,however,instead of holding on to self-importance,he changed his mind and earnestly got down to the business by taking pains to make better dumplings.In the end,their tasty food gained a widespread reputation and large sales.Successful as he has again become,he has never forgotten the lesson he learned from his past—their sign remains as simple and plain as ever.

How did this investor make a fortune out of his misfortune?I hold that it is largely because of his ability to adjust his mindset.Chu Shijian,an outstanding entrepreneur in China,has set another motivational example:after 17 years in prison,he regained his success in business, simply by consistent,devoted marketing of his“Chu Oranges.”Same here,with the faculties of flexibility and adaptability,even someone as ordinary as a dumpling seller can glow like a shooting star.

(FromMagazine:Elites,November 2015.Translation:Li Xiang.)