The courage to try.

We may have all the knowledge, knowhow to perform something but if we do not have the courage to go out there and do it, we can never know whether we can ever make a success of it.

Once upon a time, there were two young men who worked for a company which produces a medicated oil and oilment. It was a very well-known established company with its products already established in the market. It had a fleet of vans with employees to covered not just established Chinese medical halls or shops. It's employees reach out to every nook and corner of the Asian market, going to every possible place to advertise as well as to introduce and sell their product.

The two young men whom I have mentioned through their industry and competency in every aspects of sales gained the confidence of the company. Promotion lead them to the chambers where production and marketing knowledge was available. Soon, both of them were knowledgeable as regards the purchasing and use of the ingredients of the products.

As these young men grew in knowledge and age, the wish to have a family arose. In Chinese companies, they do not give sufficient incentives for their more ambitious employees to remain. They do not believe in giving better pay to keep their best employees. That is the one weakness of many Chinese companies in Malaysia.

However, having worked at the same company for such a long time, they knew not of any other work with a better salary to turn to. They were only capable where making oilment or cream is concerned.

So, were they willing to risk starting their own production of such oilment or cream? It was a big question. The knowledge was there. However, starting a business involves more than just knowledge. Do they have sufficient money? Then, there is the organisation. The marketing must be successful.

Of course, they were financially poor, otherwise, they would not have to work starting from the lowest rung. They know the availability of the ingredients, the packaging and the market. Were they willing to start small and strike out from there?

One of them could not see how that could happen. He saw failure from the start. He could not find the courage to give it a try.

The other young man saw it as an opportunity to strike out on his own while he was still young. From his point of view, there was no more room to progress further in the company he had been for so many years. He knew he had only one option left and that was to start his own manufacture and sales. With his knowledge, he knoew he could succeed. So, he resigned from the company and went home to present his plan to his parents. They supported him physically and financially.

With that, that young man started his own production of oilment and cream which brought him popularity among the people where he frequently sold his product. His sales was good as the oilment and cream were effective. His company did not become as big as the company he had worked for, but his income from the sales was and is many times the income he could ever get under the employment of any other company. His is a very small localised company but he is so much better off as his own boss. There is so much pride and confidence with his own effective products, products he had improved on as chemical companies discover better ingredients.

This is a story to show how knowledge alone is insufficient for success. Confidence through one's ability is not enough. There must be courage, the courage to burn your boats and reach out for the possiblities that lie ahead.

Of course, there is no guarantee of success in everything we do. However, if we do not gather our courage and venture forth, we would still be standing at the same spot forever. How would life be like then?