Stories That Make Us Grateful
I read a book review in the Wall Street Journal this morning that really made me rethink my priorities. The book being profiled, entitled "Bend, Not Break" was written by Ping Fu, the Chinese-born chief executive of the high tech company Geomagic. Geomagic is a 3D-imaging company which enables innovations like customized prosthetic limbs and orthodontic braces. It uses 3D capture to create 3D models that can be used for engineering, product design, art, archaeology, medical procedures, and archival purposes.
The relevance to finance? The book is an autobiography, and boy, is her story inspiring. Ms. Fu grew up during the Cultural Revolution, and was just eight years old when Red Guards took her away from her caretakers. Until the Revolution ended, she worked as a child soldier, and was physically and sexually abused by the Red Guards. She also witnessed shocking events beyond our wildest nightmares-- Guards throwing a teacher head first into a well, a boy beaten to death for insulting Mao, etc.
After the Revolution, she arrived to the U.S. at age 25 with $80 and three words of English. Want to hear about hard work? She worked as a maid, waitress, and babysitter while simultaneously learning English and Computer Science. After getting her PhD, she was eventually hired by Bell Labs before opening up shop by herself.
It's hard to complain about lack of success after that. You simply can't complain about a poor GPA in a hard major or being too shy to network when there's people like Ms. Fu who literally overcame a language barrier, a cultural barrier, a gender barrier, and a technical knowledge barrier all at the same time.
Please share your thoughts on inspiring stories you've heard that brought you back to reality and made you grateful. These narratives can prove to be extremely motivational in tough times.
"Money doesn't talk, it swears." - Bob Dylan
Comments
Dude, she went to UNM. Sooooo
Dude, she went to UNM. Sooooo non-target.
Ewww...
Edmundo Braverman: Dude, she
Dude, she went to UNM. Sooooo non-target.
Ewww...
Dude are you serious? I found her stories pretty inspiring and encouraging, especially to those fellows who are about to give up on whatever they are striving to achieve. People often whine they don't have a job in finance... come on... move on to something else then come back for it later, and slowly work yourself up the hierarchy ladder while taking the time to improve your edges. You'll land something eventually. That's just my $0.02.
tonydaboiii: Edmundo
Dude, she went to UNM. Sooooo non-target.
Ewww...
Dude are you serious? I found her stories pretty inspiring and encouraging, especially to those fellows who are about to give up on whatever they are striving to achieve. People often whine they don't have a job in finance... come on... move on to something else then come back for it later, and slowly work yourself up the hierarchy ladder while taking the time to improve your edges. You'll land something eventually. That's just my $0.02.
It's a joke, bro. I didn't even go to college.
tonydaboiii: Edmundo
Dude, she went to UNM. Sooooo non-target.
Ewww...
Dude are you serious? I found her stories pretty inspiring and encouraging, especially to those fellows who are about to give up on whatever they are striving to achieve. People often whine they don't have a job in finance... come on... move on to something else then come back for it later, and slowly work yourself up the hierarchy ladder while taking the time to improve your edges. You'll land something eventually. That's just my $0.02.
lol
What a badass.
What a badass.
I'm a lover, not a fighter, but I'm also a fighter, so don't get any ideas.
My WSO Blog
Stories like this are
Stories like this are inspiring in one regard, but then when you get to thinking of the great things humans are capable of (like this story) versus what most folks actually are like, it is hard not to get depressed and cynical.
HowardRoark: I read a book
I read a book review in the Wall Street Journal this morning that really made me rethink my priorities. The book being profiled, entitled "Bend, Not Break" was written by Ping Fu, the Chinese-born chief executive of the high tech company Geomagic. Geomagic is a 3D-imaging company which enables innovations like customized prosthetic limbs and orthodontic braces. It uses 3D capture to create 3D models that can be used for engineering, product design, art, archaeology, medical procedures, and archival purposes.
The relevance to finance? The book is an autobiography, and boy, is her story inspiring. Ms. Fu grew up during the Cultural Revolution, and was just eight years old when Red Guards took her away from her caretakers. Until the Revolution ended, she worked as a child soldier, and was physically and sexually abused by the Red Guards. She also witnessed shocking events beyond our wildest nightmares-- Guards throwing a teacher head first into a well, a boy beaten to death for insulting Mao, etc.
After the Revolution, she arrived to the U.S. at age 25 with $80 and three words of English. Want to hear about hard work? She worked as a maid, waitress, and babysitter while simultaneously learning English and Computer Science. After getting her PhD, she was eventually hired by Bell Labs before opening up shop by herself.
It's hard to complain about lack of success after that. You simply can't complain about a poor GPA in a hard major or being too shy to network when there's people like Ms. Fu who literally overcame a language barrier, a cultural barrier, a gender barrier, and a technical knowledge barrier all at the same time.
Please share your thoughts on inspiring stories you've heard that brought you back to reality and made you grateful. These narratives can prove to be extremely motivational in tough times.
So unlike the real Howard Roark to post this ;).... Nice story though! Sadly, we live in a world where the good largely outnumbers the bad but is seldom talked about.
Edmundo Braverman: Dude, she
Dude, she went to UNM. Sooooo non-target.
Ewww...
LMAO
tonydaboiii: Edmundo
Dude, she went to UNM. Sooooo non-target.
Ewww...
Dude are you serious? I found her stories pretty inspiring and encouraging, especially to those fellows who are about to give up on whatever they are striving to achieve. People often whine they don't have a job in finance... come on... move on to something else then come back for it later, and slowly work yourself up the hierarchy ladder while taking the time to improve your edges. You'll land something eventually. That's just my $0.02.
You forgot to turn on your sarcasm meter.
Edmundo Braverman: Dude, she
Dude, she went to UNM. Sooooo non-target.
Ewww...
hahaha +1 If i had a silver banana i'd give you one
china was fucked up
china was fucked up
How big is yours?
Outsider: china was fucked
china was fucked up
I hope you're being ironic using the past tense.
Outsider: china is fucked
china is fucked up
Fixed.
"The HBS guys have MAD SWAGGER. They frequently wear their class jackets to boston bars, strutting and acting like they own the joint. They just ooze success, confidence, swagger, basically attributes of alpha males."
Outsider: china was fucked
china was fucked up
lol
Edmundo
china was fucked up
I hope you're being ironic using the past tense.
loser
How big is yours?
Why all the China hate?