‘There is something worse than being a loser, that is being a quitter’ – Phil Knight (Nike co-founder)
There is once this book (which the content is fully denied by The US Government, by the way) that I’ve read quite sometimes ago –I forgot the exact title—that describes on how CIA, the world’s most prestigious intelligence institution recruits its agents. The most interesting part is that how the agency identify their future cadets in the universities across US (mostly top notch schools like Princeton, Harvard, MIT, Yale, etc). First, they make a short list of the best and the brightest from science class, performing arts students, football jocks, cheerleading squad, up to the geeks in the labs and the freaks that belong nowhere.
Then, the agency scouts will make classification which of that individuals will suit the role as research agents, supporting agents, field agents, and crème de la crème the special agents. The selection criteria is really tough as this job is not for everybody, for instance, the criteria for research, supporting, and field agents are the candidates must have a minimum standard of IQ (it’s intelligence business, just in case we forgot J) like flawless multiple linguistic ability, math, physics, history, politics, philosophy, and law in a rally of written tests, but also emotional intelligence test, physical endurance try out, and weaponry skill, depending on the required case. But for special agents, it is not only all those requirements to be fulfilled, but also a key factor a candidate is eligible to be accepted in the most prestigious group in the agency, the winning mentality.
What is winning mentality? The book describes that special agents must have passion to win, champions character, the resilience under pressure, or in the worst case scenario ‘the ability to demonstrate silence under torture’. Sounds creepy, but very few of these selected people make to be special agents, and these persistent number is remain constant over time. These people are not only those who won trophies, but those who never stop trying to get one, and not just those who collect medals, but strive to the death to earn them.
Now you know why intelligence business needs people with winning mentality, and how to measure it. And one way or another, we are actually in the intelligence business as well. Being intelligent is one thing, but those who can manage to climb up to the top of the corporate ladders are those who are persistent, consistent, and resilient. In the end, being a winner is just as little as to give your effort to the best, and to put yourself to the test. And maybe someday between now and a definite future, you will look down from the highest level of your career achievement and proudly said that you know what it takes to be a winner…
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