On a day like today, about 15 years ago, I experienced fear as I’ve never experienced throughout my whole life; I came super close to being in the line of fire between armed military conflict in what I could call a mini-civil war that happened in Beirut in May 2008;

It was around 1:00 AM, I can still remember the loud sound of firearms getting closer and closer to the building I lived in, and then the armed groups were in the building itself and on their way up, floor by floor until they had a battle at one floor that included explosive and machine guns. Then they continued until they reached my door. I was hiding with a friend, trying not even to breathe loudly as we feared that would be our last; imagine that you are literally one WALL, One Door away from your inevitable dark destiny.

That night was one of the longest in my life, and while many details happened during and after, I can just summarize that I have experienced fear and appreciation of life very deeply, and surviving that trauma and experience, taught me so much that I still carry through during my personal and professional life.

In the spirit of my memory, I wanted today to explore the famous proverb “Fortune Favors the Bold” and how it has inspired countless business leaders to achieve success. We’ll dive into the origins of this ancient wisdom and then look at some modern examples of entrepreneurs who have embodied this principle in their journeys to the top.

“audentes Fortuna iuvat” ~ Virgil, The Aeneid

The proverb “Fortune Favors the Bold” has its roots in ancient Roman times. The phrase is derived from the Latin expression “audentes Fortuna iuvat”, which was used by the famous Roman poet Virgil in his epic work, The Aeneid. In the poem, the hero Aeneas is encouraged by the gods to take risks and face his fears in order to fulfill his destiny. This principle of embracing courage and daring in the face of uncertainty has since been passed down through the ages and has become a guiding principle for many successful individuals. There are so many examples of how leaders were bold in their decisions and actions, and as a result, they changed the world; my favorite would certainly be how Steve Jobs and the iPhone.

Steve Jobs, the co-founder and former CEO of Apple, was a prime example of boldness in the face of a mature market. When the first iPhone was introduced in 2007, the mobile phone industry was dominated by well-established players like Nokia, BlackBerry, and Motorola. However, Jobs was not deterred by the seemingly saturated market. Instead, he saw an opportunity to revolutionize the way people interacted with their mobile devices.

One of the most significant ways Jobs demonstrated his boldness was by creating a product that combined multiple functionalities into a single device. The iPhone was not just a phone, but also a music player, a web browser, and a camera. This innovative approach challenged the status quo and forced competitors to rethink their product offerings.

Furthermore, Jobs was fearless in creating a unique and intuitive user interface that would redefine the mobile phone experience. With the introduction of the touchscreen, he eliminated the need for a physical keyboard and buttons, making the iPhone a game-changer in terms of usability and design.

Another bold move by Jobs was the creation of the App Store, which opened up a whole new world of possibilities for developers and users alike. This platform allowed third-party developers to create applications for the iPhone, transforming it into a versatile, customizable device. The App Store fueled the growth of the smartphone app ecosystem and solidified Apple’s position as an industry leader.

In summary, Steve Jobs’ boldness in positioning the iPhone as a global success can be attributed to his ability to challenge conventional wisdom, embrace innovation, and create a product that revolutionized the mobile phone industry. By taking risks and pushing boundaries, Jobs demonstrated the power of “Fortune Favors the Bold” in the face of a mature market.

Other examples of leaders that embody the proverb “Fortune Favors the Bold”

1. Elon Musk – Tesla and SpaceX: Elon Musk’s journey to becoming a global entrepreneur is a testament to the power of boldness. His decision to invest in electric cars and space exploration, industries that were once deemed risky and unprofitable, has paid off in a big way. Musk’s fearlessness and unwavering vision have led to groundbreaking achievements such as the launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket and the establishment of Tesla as a market leader in electric vehicles.
2. Richard Branson – Virgin Group: Sir Richard Branson is another example of a business leader who has achieved great success by embracing the “Fortune Favors the Bold” mentality. The Virgin Group founder has never shied away from taking risks, whether it’s starting his own airline or venturing into space tourism. Branson’s willingness to challenge conventional wisdom and take on established industries has earned him a reputation as a maverick entrepreneur.
3. Sheryl Sandberg – Facebook: Sheryl Sandberg, the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, has shown that boldness and determination can lead to significant achievements in the business world. Sandberg’s advocacy for women’s empowerment and leadership, as outlined in her best-selling book “Lean In”, has inspired countless women to pursue their own ambitions. By fearlessly tackling issues like gender inequality in the workplace, Sandberg has solidified her position as a trailblazer in the tech industry.

So for this week’s tip, remember that the timeless proverb “Fortune Favors the Bold” serves as a powerful reminder that success often comes to those who are willing to take risks and embrace the unknown. As we face the challenges of our own lives and careers, let’s remember to be courageous and seize the opportunities that come our way.

So, be bold, embrace the uncertainty, and watch as fortune smiles upon you. See you next week for another edition of “The Monday Tip”!

Have a wonderful week,

SC

On September 27th, 2022, my father, Mokhtar Chidiac, passed away after battling cancer for 15 months. Only a few months ago, I had a rare opportunity to spend time with him with my camera just before his health started to deteriorate and had him tell me his life story and the moments that shaped his life. It was a very intense emotional time for me at that period while filming and listening to his stories and seeing him laugh and pause as he recalls and reflected.

I have picked the below three lessons that I will cherish for the rest of my life, and I have decided to dedicate this Monday Tip in his loving memory.

1) Never give up on your dreams

My father was very active in the community and was one of the Leaders of an NGO in Lebanon called “Offer Joie” since the early 90s; in the year 2000, while he was leading one of the youth boot camps in a Lebanese Town called KFIFANE, he noticed that there was an old Mosque, a barely 1 room small space, that one of the locals was gathering donations to help maintain and refurbish.

Since that day, it has become a dream and life mission for my father to assist in rebuilding the Mosque of Kfifane, and through thick and thin and over the course of 20 years, he managed with the support and love of so many others, to re-build the 1 room mosque to become a fully functioning fantastic facility.

When I asked him at some point why he was making all that efforts to make a big mosque, while there were relatively very few who would use it given its remote location, he told me that he had a feeling that this would change… and Indeed, after the war started in Syria, there has been a significant number of refugees that came to Lebanon and spread around the different areas of Lebanon; and the mosque was filled with dozens and even a hundred of worshipers every Friday; which was an unexpected turn of events for those who watched the growth of the mosque.

This mosque was his life dream. His wish was to be buried there, and on Wednesday 28th of September, he said goodbye to the structure he always dreamed of making, and we prayed to the rest of his soul in the mosque and buried him in its graveyard, in a space that he chose and marked ten years ago.

He saw his dream come true, which was the perfect ending to his story;

Lesson Learned: Never give up on your dreams  

2) Keep Fighting for what you believe you deserve

In the late 1960s, my father went to Libya for work and was among a team contracted by the government to work on road & urban planning. And while in Libya, in 1969, there was a “Coup d’état,” and the government of Idris got ousted by Gaddafi’s troops, and a new era started for that country.

Among so many things back then, one thing that was very impactful for my father was that the new government decided not to honor the reimbursement of costs of living that was agreed on by the previous management. And, of course, it caused financial liabilities to him, so he decided to complain and sue the “revolution” for what they owed him.

It was a shot in the dark and a hopeless case. Still, my father kept going every week to the office of complaints and the courts, and after more than a year, he got surprised that they approved his request and paid him for the past period. He recalls that his manager (a Libyan) told him in a surprising note that you are the FIRST person who could pull something like that and win a case against the “Revolution.”

Lesson learned: Never give up on what you believe you deserve.

3) Be Optimistic & Always believe that things will get better

Even on his death bed, his words were always including, “when I will get better, we will _____ ”; I could recall so many instances where life brought me down to the ground and hit me very hard, but every time I talked to my father, he used to comfort me and tell me to be optimistic, that things will get better, no matter what.

He said that as long as you are kind to others (regardless if they deserve it or not), love your family, do the best you can, and work to become the best version of yourself, things will always get better.

His life included going through wars, extreme uncertainty, loss, and health issues. But he was always an Optimist; he never gave in to the current situation and had the spirit of a fighter. 

Lesson learned: Things will always get better, keep the faith!

He was a loving father and husband and will be remembered by so many whose lives were touched and influenced by him. May your soul rest in peace, dad. I love you.

Thank you for reading & have a great week,

SC

This week’s tip is an extract from my Commencement Speech for the Class of 2020, you can read/listen to the full speech 👉 The Last Day of the Present.

“Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will. Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” ~Suzy Kassem

Around 10 years ago (8 years at the time of the speech), I was having a chat with my sister, she was participating in a competition, and only days before her final presentation, she was considering giving up, she was afraid, and her way to represent her Fear was by considering it like a BRICK (Blata in Arabic) so a Brick on her chest that was not allowing her to move forward, so I asked her: how many times do I fly per month? She said: I don’t know, maybe 4-6 times. And I continued: And how long have I been in this lifestyle, she replied: like 6 years already. And Here I told her, do you know that despite the 100s of flights that I took, I have a Flying Phobia… Yes, I, Samer Chidiac, have an Avio Phobia, the Fear of Flying… every time, and when the days get closer to my flying time, I used to get so tense that when I woke up before my flight, my heart would be beating fast and I used to hold my knees together close to my chest and move back and forth, until I calm down and get wear my suit, take my back and just go…

Make no mistake, I wasn’t afraid of the Plane crashing, but in fact, I was afraid of what the entire meaning of the flight was for me; just like those who fear public speaking, they aren’t really afraid of someone from the audience coming up and hurting them, but it is what public speaking carried for the person, and for me, Flying was boarding on a Journey to the Unknown…

And tonight [originally to the class of 2020] is the beginning of your special journey to a whole new world, and I know that some of you… are afraid.

So, my secret is not actually that I had the Fear of Flying but it’s How I dealt with it, I not only made peace with my fear, in fact, I became friends with my fear, and friends don’t hurt each other, they can be annoying sometimes, but a true friend wouldn’t hurt you.

It’s ok to be afraid sometimes, sometimes fear can push you to do things you wouldn’t have done if you were not afraid; Just remember that Fear may slow you down, but it won’t hurt you.

Become friends with your Fear.

Have a wonderful week!

SC

The other day, I was having a chat with a friend of mine who has become a mother just a few years back, and as we talked about Life and challenges in general, she shared with me some great advice that was so simple, and yet very powerful, about facing challenges in life.

“Men are what their mothers made them.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

She said to me, that before she became a mother, she would quit more often when challenges are high, and she would give up more easily when things get tough; but since she had her first child, everything changed, her sense of responsibility got multiplied by 10 if not more and her commitment flew over the top, and the depth of what her heart can love reached infinity.

No matter how old a mother is, and how little or grown-up her child is, 4 or 40, one thing she can teach us, that no Motivational speaker can ever illustrate better:

She simply won’t give up!

If you ask a Mother when how long she would keep trying before her child can walk, she would reply that “I will keep trying UNTIL he/she would walk”. A Child will fall many times before they could walk, and the parents know that fact, so those “failures” won’t discourage their perseverance.

And that was her magical word; she would keep trying UNTIL _____

This week’s Tip is about Perseverance like a Mother would!

Whenever you are feeling down, or a little low, and reaching the stage of giving up, just remember the power that your Mother has given you, and that is the DNA engraved Perseverance, there ain’t no mountain high for her, and she would leave no stone unturned for you; by her hands, by her heart, or by her prayers… She would keep being there for you UNTIL you make it.

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” ~Thomas Edison

So Never give up, and keep trying UNTIL you Make it…

Keep looking for a job, UNTIL you find one.

Keep studying UNTIL you graduate.

Keep Fighting UNTIL you conquer sickness.

Keep trying UNTIL you succeed.

It’s just as simple as that.

Have a wonderful week,

SC