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POSITIV MAN
During the journey, I didn’t dwell or overthink; instead,
I devoted all my energy to achieving that goal, and my
thoughts revolved around it. Of course, I also savoured
nature and discovered the world, and I shared those
experiences with others through reports, books, and via
radio and film documentaries.
Was it the voyage that cost you the most strength
in life?
I worked hard all my life to achieve my goals.
Disappointment is part of striving for them. Not
everything works out, and a person has to be prepared
for possible failure and disappointment and take it as
a lesson.
I lost the most energy fighting bureaucracy, envy, ill
will, petty-mindedness, and human stupidity. From all
the other hard work, I always gained satisfaction
and a sense of fulfilment. I always did any kind of work
with joy and tried to do it so perfectly that I could proudly
put my name to it – Whatever it was, even cleaning toilets.
Forced emigration was a possible consequence when
I set off for a round-the-world race without the proper
permission, but the stripping of our native citizenship
by the system at the time was a great disappointment.
You once said you always had a plan, a backup plan,
and even a backup to your backup plan. How would
you explain this philosophy to today’s leaders?
It’s simple. Not every plan can be carried out, and most
of them run into some kind of obstacle or problem that
needs to be overcome. For such situations, so as not
to lose time, I always had a developed backup plan ready,
which allowed me to respond instantly to the problem
and often choose a different course of action.
I also used to have a rough outline of a plan for that
backup plan. So when an insurmountable problem
appeared in the main plan, the backup plan would take
its place, and I would immediately develop the backup
to the backup plan further, while also devising a new
backup to that backup plan.
This way, I was always prepared for any possible
obstacle, able to deal with problems immediately,
and to do so with a smile, which was always very
important. Those obstacles in my plans were often
created by envious people, and they cannot stand
it when you step over their obstacles with a smile on
your face.
In business, there is a lot of talk about vision.
You speak about a plan. What do you see as
the difference?
Having a vision is essential, but it is only a glimpse
and a light at the end of the tunnel. To reach it, you need
a clear, well-developed plan that tells you exactly how
to get to that light, so you don’t waste time trying things
blindly, getting lost, or losing direction.
What would you say to a young entrepreneur who has
an idea but is still waiting for ideal conditions?
Ideal conditions do not exist, and if they do, they change
quickly. If someone is afraid of the given conditions
and is unable to adapt to them or deal with them, then
they should not go into business and would be better off
finding a boss who tells them what to do.
How can a person preserve their own way of thinking
when everyone is watching everyone else?
First and foremost, by not talking too much. Don’t share
your ideas on social media before you’ve brought them
to life. If you copy something, you can only improve
it slightly. That’s why it’s essential to look for original
ideas and original solutions. That requires effort and hard
work. Only then do you have a chance to succeed
before others start copying you.
I managed to achieve a number of firsts, both in my work
and in sport. It was hard work and required investment,
but the satisfaction of success is immense.
You’ve experienced the era of telegrams, waiting
for a phone connection, as well as today’s digital
world. Are we more efficient thanks to speed, or
simply more distracted?
It depends on your approach. In America, we slept
on the floor, but we bought our first computer. I had
more than fifty of them and assembled them myself,
because the computers available for sale were already
outdated. I have always treated computers like a shovel
– As a working tool that made my life easier, improved
my work, and accelerated the achievement of my
goals.
I never had a game on any of my computers. A computer,
tablet, or mobile phone – All of these are powerful tools
that speed up work, but also our lives. Unfortunately,
the results of that work tend to have a short lifespan
today, and products end up in landfills prematurely due
to the pursuit of further profit. For leisure, things like
a ball, a bicycle, or skis should serve their purpose.
Richard Konkolski, a Czech seafarer, yachtsman,
author, and one of the most prominent pioneers
of ocean sailing in Central Europe. He became famous
as the rst Czech to sail solo around the world three
mes, aboard his self-built yacht Niké.