Resilient is defined as springing back or rebounding. Returning to the original form or position after being bent, compressed, or stretched. Recovering readily from illness, depression, adversity: buoyant. The word certainly describes Cecil Andrus. I have a Board colleague,. Aimee Christensen who is the executive director of Sun Valley Institute for Resilience, advancing policy leadership, public engagement and targeted investments to ensure economic prosperity, environmental protection and human well being. Aimee is hosting the Sun Valley Forum in July this year which has attracted an impressive group of speakers to discuss “risk to opportunity, collaboration, innovation and investment for a resilient world.” To highlight two of the speakers–Mina Guli is an Australian businesswomen who is the CEO of Thirst. Mina is also a world record holding ultra distance runner. In March she completed the challenge of running across seven deserts in seven weeks on seven continents–over 40 marathons in length to raise awareness of the global fresh water crisis. Also speaking is Colonel Mark “Puck” Myklby who heads the Strategic Innovation Lab at Case Western Reserve University. A Naval Academy graduate who flew F-18’s in combat for many years in the Marines he is contributing to the work being done to restore America’s prosperity, security and sustainability in the 21st century. It seems to me that we “bent” our home to a breaking point and a focus on sustainability is long over due.
I think of Wile Coyote when I consider resilience and unflappable determination. Regardless of the cool Acme products he purchased and the plots he devised to capture the road runner they were always to no avail. Wile is resilient. We all have life examples of people who refuse to succumb to bad luck or endless adversity. Thanks to all of those intrepid folks who are our role models.
Nelson Mandela wrote “the greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” General George Patton stated “I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.” With the recent passing of Muhammad Ali I will conclude with “I hated every minute of training, but I said, don’t quit.” Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.
Enjoy the week end. Mike