CorporateNature metaphor series, No 126
STORY 1: ROYAL REVENGE IN ANCIENT CHINA
The Chinese idiom 卧薪尝胆 (wò xīn cháng dǎn) - literally "to sleep on firewood and taste gallbladder" - today means "to undergo self-imposed hardship to strengthen one's resolve for revenge". The story behind this idiom takes place in China's Warring States period. Towards the end of the 5th century B.C., the king of Wu attacked the state of Yue and took king Gou Jian of Yue as his prisoner. Gou Jian spent the next three years as personal servant to the king of Wu. During this time, he diligently followed every order of the king of Wu. He maintained the memory of his humiliation by subjecting himself to the harsh experience of sleeping on firewood spread across the floor and regularly eating gallbladder. By doing this, he "burned the bridges" towards forgiveness and didn't let go of his desire for vengeance. When Gou Jian eventually returned to Yue, he raised an army and conquered Wu.
STORY 2: THE 17-YEAR LIFE CYCLE OF CICADAS
The North American periodical cicada (Magicicada) is an insect with an extraordinary life cycle. For 13 or 17 years the larvae of these creatures lie dormant underground in the root of trees, drinking sap and waiting for the opportune moment to begin their adult life. Their life cycle is exactly 13 or 17 years (for different species) to allow all insects to emerge synchronised at the same time. The prime number of years appears to be an evolutionary adaptation against predators, who are unlikely to be able to synchronise their life cycles over such a long period. "If a brood were to emerge in cycles divisible by a smaller number, then local predators could reap rewards by synchronising their own shorter cycles and emerge in large numbers exactly when the cicadas appear. The large prime number of years saves the cicadas' skin (or rather shell).
STORY 3: ARCTIC FIRES CAN HIBERNATE
When you think of recent natural disasters, the fires in California or Australia spring to mind. But did you know that there are fires in the Arctic and they can smoulder under the snow for a year, keeping burning throughout the harsh Arctic winter. These "zombie fires" find oxygen-rich underground pockets in the peat layer where they can hibernate during the winter and reactivate when the weather allows. Some of the Siberian wildfires of 2019 have been hibernating underground and are coming to the surface again only now when the summer weather is offering a good opportunity.
CONCLUSION
When faced with a monumental task, the principle of "bide your time" is a good bet. Instead of diving in at the first instance, often it is better to withdraw and wait for the opportune moment... for 17 years if need be, if you are a cicada.
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| Mars rover "Opportunity" (image source: Wikipedia) |
