I am currently watching a K-drama (South Korean series) on Netflix called “Flowers in the Sand.” In the series, they play a sport called ssireum (Korean wrestling). This was my first time hearing of such a sport. I am not familiar with the rules of the sport, but I just love the physical nature of it. But that’s all beside the point. Watching this series has taught me two very important lessons. That I just had to share.
The male lead, whose name is Kim Baek-doo in the series, was a ssireum prodigy in his childhood. Hailing from a family of ssireum champions (his father and both his elder brothers had won multiple championships before retiring), he was seen as the most promising talent amongst his peers. Fast forward 20 years, and he has yet to win even a single championship. He is the talk of the town, and not for all the right reasons. His parents, fans of the sport, other athletes, friends, and everyone else in town can’t understand why he hasn’t been able to turn his potential and talent into actual trophies.
Everyone begins to belittle him. He is now the one person that all the other wrestlers want to fight because it’s a sure win. Baek-Doo is a super innocent character and always sees the bright side of life, which is amazing. But the downside is that he has no ambition, no drive, and no determination to accomplish anything. He does indeed love the sport, and he gives it his all, but his lackluster approach, lack of desire, and hunger for being the best is super infuriating. He has all the potential, and it’s quite evident as you watch the series, but he is too comfortable with losing. Nothing in him revolts after a defeat. He is just so comfortable with being mediocre.
Now, his childhood love, Oh Du-sik, appears on the scene 20 years after being tragically separated from Baek-Doo and reinvigorates his passion for the sport. She reminds him of how he used to defeat kids twice his size when he was still a child. She reminds him of how he used to fight with joy, fire, and a unique style. And requests that he bring that version of himself back. This is a noble and touching romantic moment because it is quite evident just how much she means to him and also because he begins to change just a little bit.
Fast-forward: he enters a tournament, and he insists that she come to watch him fight, whilst simultaneously demanding from his parents and siblings not to come. Before his first fight, he ensures that she is in the stands. Then he goes on to absolutely destroy his opponents with some very witty techniques and raw power.
He goes on a winning streak, beating every opponent right through to the semi-finals. After every round, he would celebrate and wave at the stand where he believed his lady love was. Gesturing that the win was for her. But then, just before the semifinal match, two of his teammates inform him that his lady love had long left the stadium because she had a pressing matter to attend to. And instantly, you could see the life zapped out of him. It was so bad that he was unable to even hear the announcement of his name for the fight. He kept looking up at the stand, lost in thoughts, to the point where his teammates had to shake him just to get his attention. I do not need to tell you what happened next; he lost in the most embarrassing way ever.
This then brings me full circle to the point I wanted to make: when hunting for success, you cannot let your performance depend on the actions of others. If you need the presence of someone or the motivation of someone else to perform, then you have already failed. Success is not about getting a pat on the back for what you do; it’s about consistently doing little things that are invisible to everyone else. Continuing to grind without compliments, alone, and regardless of how you feel. Winners do not allow themselves to make excuses, and they are extremely tough on themselves. They will be damned to let some outside factors determine their outcome.
There are two important lessons this series has taught me: no matter how skilled, no matter the background, and no matter the character, if you do not have drive and determination, you will never become successful or amount to anything significant enough, not to be shamed. And secondly, you cannot let your performance depend on external factors. Later in the series, Baek-Doo admits to Du-sik that when she left town, he had lost something. Can you imagine not being able to perform to your absolute best for 20 years (20 years, let that sink in, 20 years) because of someone else? Especially when you possess all the necessary tools to succeed.
“I have no trust in a church, a pastor, or a people who have no ambition to evolve year after year.” — William Marion Branham
I know that Baek-Doo’s situation had to be exaggerated for dramatic effects, but many of us go through the same thing. We are easily affected by our surroundings and what others do. So much so that we cannot perform at our very best. We live aimlessly, swinging from left to right, with no ambition, no goals, and no determination to escape mediocrity. It’s crazy, but that’s the truth. We live in a generation where everyone is in their feelings. And that’s a sure path to disaster.
If you have goals, ambition, drive, and determination, then you won’t need anyone to push you to do anything. The hunger will keep you working regardless of the circumstances or the results. Great men push through, even in the face of great tribulation and loneliness. It’s often in obscurity that great accomplishments are made. Everyone remembers the finished product, but no one knows how hard you had to work on doing the little things, doing the things that no one will ever see. So embrace the challenge and face it head-on, because that’s the path to building success.
