Do You Have Sisu?

What is sisu? It’s a Finnish word that has no real translation. My interest began with watching a movie of the same name, and once the movie was over, I spent a considerable amount of time trying to get a sense of what the word could mean. The reason is based on Tuesday’s Memo or what we might call the art of postponing the necessary. How can we overcome that?

To several authors, the characteristics of sisu goes along these lines:

Sisu is applied in everyday life to describe perseverance in personal challenges. It is seen as an action-oriented mindset that emphasizes persistence without boasting about it.

If you want an entire book that examines the nuances of sisu, check out Sisu: The Finnish Art of Courage by Joanna Nylund.

Weight loss. Cardiovascular fitness. Pre-diabetes. Hypertension. Mild cognitive impairment. Many more degenerative diseases and conditions. While they have a genetic component, they are primarily diseases of eating too much of the wrong foods while not moving any more than from the recliner to the refrigerator and back. No matter your current physical state, you can be better than you are right now.

This is your life. You know what you have to work on; how many years have you said, “If I could just…”? This is about taking the personal challenge of doing what you need to do, day in, day out, until you’ve got the health and lifestyle you want. Persistence, consistence, courage, resilience, grit, tenacity. Or you could call it stubbornness, which is often considered a negative trait, but one that can be used for good, too. And one more thing: an unwillingness to quit. Ever. Sisu.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: Joanna Nylund. Sisu: The Finnish Art of Courage. 2018