Losing or Winning at the Starting Line
4 March 2024
When Mr. Martin Tsang (CEO of Halo Energy Limited), the guest speaker of our January’s High Table Dinner, began by sharing that his year 1 undergraduate GPA was on the low side, the whole floor exclaimed. Some probably wondered, “How could someone who did not do that well at the starting line could become so successful eventually?” The speaker then continued his inspiring story of entrepreneurship. During the dinner, I thanked him for being honest in sharing his bumpy start. He further emphasised that one should not fear failure as difficulties are always there and success awaits those who never give up.
In February’s High Table Dinner, Mr. Mak Pui Tung (Winner of the Best Actor at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards) shared that he had made three attempts before being admitted to the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. After his speech, he shared further with me that he humbly reviewed the reasons behind each failure. He worked hard on those areas and eventually made it on the third go! Mr. Eric Leung (Winner of the Outstanding Actor at the 12th Hong Kong Theatre Libre) was another guest at the dinner. He shared that his friends helped him stand back up again amid difficulties. Their stories reminded me of my painful experiences of failing my specialty exams twice at the start of my career as a medical doctor. With the support of friends, I worked hard on improving my shortcomings and passed the exam eventually.
Humble evaluation after a fall, hard work, hang on, and help from friends ensure that even a fall (if it happens) will become a “winning step” at the starting line. Add oil!
