Dia de La Raza

Hi there Men,

Today’s an historic day.

It’s a celebration day.

Or at least it is for some people.

For US here, it’s a celebration day

All days we celebrate.

We don’t party everyday. Too much of a good thing can kill you.

But we do celebrate everyday.

So,

Let’s raise our glasses and drink bottoms up.

Today, Christopher Columbus put down his knee on what he thought and died thinking, were the East Indies.

This day has been pretty controversial in the last few decades, due to the raise of awareness of the actions taken by the Hispanic crown on the native American population.

But,

I am not going to delve on the past on things that divide people.

Instead,

Let’s focus on the nuggets of wisdom and lessons we can squeeze out of this event.

Columbus was a Genovese sailor, who widowed, poor and raising a child, went from door to door, showing “His Plan” to get access to the finest spices and silk from The Indies that were so hard and expensive to get, due to the lost of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire.

His “Plan” was to get to Japan,  secure an area, take defensive positions  and be on guard for the armies of the Great Kan.

From filthy stinking rich people, to Italian wealthy Indian traders, to the Crown of Portugal.

They all rejected his plan.

Portugal had another badass already doing business in The Indies, Marco Polo.

So, they dismissed Columbus.

Then he traveled to Spain. There were new rulers in town. Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, had recently united two kingdoms by marrying.

He was turned down three times.

But he never backed down.

He kept on coming. He insisted.

He had a compelling vision, and he passionately talked about it to his potential supporters.

Until he got the founds for his enterprise.

Once sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, Columbus had to put down three mutinies on two of the ships.

The last one was going to claim his life.

That last one was going to be held at dawn on October 12th,1492.

All his crew  had it with that piece of shit.

This quest for the Indies.

They are hungry.

Tired.

Desperate.

Hopeless.

Afraid.

They are crumbling one after the other, non stop, each day. One after the other they begin to convince themselves, that there’s no point to keep on going.

That all this is useless .

That better get back because it’s safer.

And Columbus knows it to. He has felt it too

He’s scared.

He knows that one more riot could cost his life.

But he also knows that if they don’t see land soon, the inevitable will happen.

Or they will die, out of thirst and hunger and despair.

But he’s willing to die.

He’s ALL IN on his quest.

He’d rather be dead, than having to live with the regret of not being strong enough to have taken that last step.

To have that last mutiny suffocated.

He’d rather die than have to return to Spain empty handed and full of shame.

Of not delivering his promise.

Of not having his vision fulfilled.

So he’s not backing down.

And on the sunrise of that October 12th 1942,

The furious and determined mutineer crew heard a desperate shout.

Just before going to Columbus chamber to arrest him and having him walk the board later on.

And this shout out slowly started to make sense.

From the look out post on the ship,  after a few seconds of confusion, the message got clearer  …. “ Land in Sight”  they all started to hear.

And the rest is History.

Life, business, women are the same trip that Columbus took.

There will always be mutinies.

And lack of funds,

Naysayers and non believers.

People who will put you down.

But the belief that you have in your vision, has to be the fuel that keeps you going.

That makes you stay calm at the worst of adversities.

Your vision will keep you encouraging your team, family, colleagues to achieve more, to be more. To keep on going strong, even in the worst scenarios.

Be the example.

That dominant, unperturbed, ice cold motherfucker.

Who just believes.

Takes gigantic amounts of action.

And believes. Has Faith on himself, and his vision. The belief that persistence and hard work pays off.

Be the one who, like a rock solid temple, provides feelings of safety,

Security,

Trust.

A strong man who does not bend under pressure

Who has his vision fueling his soul, and his heart.

A vision so powerful that makes him overcome all the obstacles that get in his way.

That makes him stay up at night and wake up at the first sunrise.

For his purpose

For his vision.

A strong man who dares to dream big,

To contribute to his society

To find “ better ways”

And calms down mutinies, gets the funds, convinces the right people with his vision, works his ass off, and realizes his dream.

Even if he doesn’t know where he finally arrives.

Even if he doesn’t know exactly what he has really accomplished,

Even if he has not quite really understand or fully dimensions the size of the achievement.

He never backs down.

He never plays it safe.

He’s bold until the end.

Knowing that the quest may claim his life.

Goethe once wrote

“Then indecision brings its own delays,
And days are lost lamenting over lost days.
Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute;
What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it;
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. “

So raise your glass,

Because,

On this October 12th we celebrate.

Not the Hispanic Day

Not Columbus Day

Not Race day

Fuck all that.

We drink for awesome Human traits,

Let’s have it for adventure, boldness and determination.

Talk Soon

Dan