Two Steps Forward

by+Chu+Jiwang

Difference-makers learn to make progress by taking two steps forward for every one step back. The mediocre remain static， marching in place before a final decline.

Sometimes I fear mediocrity.

Its hard to run a business， and its even harder to maintain long-term growth within any organization. The toughest task is maintaining the path of success while learning how best to take a step back to utilize experience to accumulate strength. Somehow， Ive managed to continue making progress. This is what creativity takes.

An old Chinese saying goes， “Its hard to start a business， but its harder to maintain what has been achieved because all forward progress requires innovation.”

I proposed the idea of “forward and backward” at a forum for Ningbo entrepreneurs and overseas Chinese entrepreneurs in Madagascar. “Entrepreneurs must be entrepreneurial，” I asserted. “We should be bold enough to take a step back after two steps forward – progress. What made the Chinese entrepreneurs in Madagascar succeed so far away from home？ With great determination， they moved abroad to accomplish pioneering work. They faced the world and braved a storm in the middle of nowhere. Those are two solid steps forward. Then， they stepped back to look at their experience， observe local conditions， identify growth points and accumulate strength – and they made things happened.”

They did it. The first group of Chinese entrepreneurs to launch businesses in Madagascar has been successful and set a good example for us.

Everyone knows that success doesnt always await those who do business abroad， but success never greets those who never try. The determination to go abroad is not enough： Success requires wisdom.

Entrepreneurs who ventured to Madagascar a decade ago know how good green eggs and ham taste. Their businesses， whether real estate， mining， food processing， or logistics， look on the up and up. But can we even begin to imagine how much wisdom and pioneering spirit they invested to assimilate with the local people？

Each step they took， forward or backward， was born of courage and wisdom besides diligence. They hunted for business opportunities with their minds.

Any Chinese businessman investing capital anywhere will help boost the economy and make a dent in the locales poverty. Chinese entrepreneurs have taken giant leaps forward， and their business in Madagascar has nudged the local economic development into a full-on sprint.