Buzz
The ability to count on fingertips in today's younger generation.
A prominent foreign entrepreneur's large family went on a business trip for several weeks and asked this friend (then 21 years old) to house-sit.
Upon the homeowners' return and the opening of the door, they were astonished. It was the first and only time they had seen such diligence in a young Vietnamese individual. The house appeared newly built. The friend meticulously cleaned from inside to outside, with the front yard sparkling white. They packed up old belongings in a large bag, awaiting the homeowners' return to inquire about disposal permissions.
Cobwebs cleared, touched up many peeling areas with paint. You diligently cultivated the small garden, fertilized the soil, planted flowers, vegetables, and shady trees, arranging them in a highly logical layout. Inside the refrigerator, everything was tidily arranged, with clear labeling of each compartment to prevent cross-contamination.
Anything broken, you fixed it all, noting down the status for any recurring issues on a nearby sticky note. You meticulously organized everything in a highly scientific and orderly manner, maintaining cleanliness and tidiness. The homeowners could only marvel and exclaim, 'wonderful!'
You mentioned having no money on hand and feeling unsure about the next steps, needing guidance. The homeowners then provided an opportunity, offering you a special internship in the owner's enterprise.
Wherever you work, you receive praise. At the factory, you maintain strict order, identifying and addressing all fire and explosion risks. Workers under your supervision adhere to their roles, meticulously drafting procedures, leaving no room for error. You work tirelessly from dawn till dusk, even sleeping at the factory.
Given the challenge of working at a hotel, the establishment shines brighter than a 5-star, with impeccable cleanliness, not a single hair in the bathroom, and vibrant flowers and greenery. You don't sit around with a laptop all day; instead, you wander around, observing every nook and cranny, taking immediate action, maximizing room occupancy.
Faced with the task of selling a very difficult product, despite numerous saying 'it can't be sold,' you spend the entire day meeting with partners, engaging in intense negotiations, and meeting dozens of clients daily, resulting in a tenfold increase in sales.
Given control of a farm for a year with financial freedom, you manage it diligently, working through holidays and festivals. Your subordinates, initially earning only a few million dong, now earn double or triple, thanks to your initiatives.
In the same cohort as you, there are several college graduates, fluent in English a thousand times better than you, with excellent theoretical knowledge... but they refuse to work, preferring idle chatter. They're still stuck in the same place (and will likely remain so until old age).
English is merely a tool, a specialization, a skill, and money is a tool too. Tools are meant to be put to work. Learning is for doing. Merely studying without getting hands and feet moving is like being a clueless cow with a hat, and there are countless groups like this.
The homeowner noticed your rapid progress after just 1 year of training (normally it takes 5-10 years for an average person), so they directed you to a distant province to start a business. There, young people with little capital but plenty of energy like you have opportunities. In Saigon or Hanoi, everything is saturated, large corporations and billionaires have occupied every corner, invested in everything already, so if you follow suit, you'll only be scraping by.
With only 2-3 years of work experience, you've earned quite well, bought many assets for business, purchased a car and a tourist shuttle, enabling your parents to travel and your younger sister to self-fund her studies abroad. Moreover, you've donated countless items to poor ethnic children and orphaned children.
Versatile competence equals being a leader, a manager, a big boss, a general (during wartime) equals managing a business in peacetime.
Parents shaping their children into eagles or sparrows must instill this versatile competence from the early days of life.
In the olden days, when masters encountered a gifted child, they rejoiced greatly, for they would train them to 'benefit the family, govern the country, and bring peace to the world.' But it all starts with self-cultivation, benefiting the family (improving oneself, mastering everything within the household). Young people with this competence are scarce in our country, you can count them on one hand.
Posted by: Lệ Băng
Keywords: Versatile Competence
