Popadni šanci za pačesy
80 ǀ POSITIV MAN 2026
At school, you had poor grades in Czech, and yet you
went on to write a number of books. What would
you say to people who were once told they were not
capable of something?
To achieve mastery in many things, a talent is needed.
But anyone can achieve anything they set their mind
to. It may take a little longer than for a specialist,
but it is possible. It simply requires determination –
getting started and persevering.
In my time, basic education ended in the eighth grade
with a final exam, something like today’s school-
leaving exam, and at the age of fourteen each of us
had to decide on our life path. Work was compulsory
from the age of sixteen. Until the seventh grade, I had
poor marks in Czech and Russian. I was discouraged
from becoming a sailor, being told that I would only be
scraping rust and painting, and that I did not have what
it took to become a captain. I loved nature and wanted
to become a forester, but I was not accepted because
of my grades, so in the eighth grade I began studying
hard and finished with honours, to the astonishment
of all my teachers.
On the advice that a trade has a solid foundation,
I trained as a bricklayer, a path often taken by those
with the lowest grades or those who had not been
accepted elsewhere. However, I had resolved
to continue to technical secondary school. I even
studied construction engineering by correspondence,
including during my basic military service. Even today,
I continue to learn new things – and I am 83 years old.
The foundation is desire.
Is there a moment in your life you would like
to return to – One day you would relive?
There are many such moments. They are mostly
moments of recognition, whether for sporting
achievements or for professional and social
contributions. Unforgettable is my arrival at the end
of my first round-the-world voyage in Poland,
where tens of thousands of people welcomed me.
In Bohumín, it was on a smaller scale, but it was home.
Being named Yachtsman of the Year four times in three
different countries was just as unforgettable, as was
receiving the Silver Dolphin award from the hands
of the Prime Minister of England for second place
in the transatlantic race, as well as the trophies
for winning stages in the round-the-world race. In those
moments, my patriotic spirit always rejoiced.
I would also relive the recognition from the Senate
of the state of Rhode Island, and later being honoured
by U.S. President Ronald Reagan as a Czech,
and conversely, as an American, receiving the silver
medal from our Senate and an award from President
Zeman. I would gladly experience again my induction
into the Hall of Fame or receiving lifetime achievement
awards, such as the Kantuta Prize, the International
Outdoor Film Festival award, recognition in Poland
with the Konrad Award, or the Great Colossus Award.
There were many times when I felt proud to represent
my homeland successfully – And equally proud
of the people around me who supported me selflessly.
If you were to sum up your life strategy in one
sentence for men who want to strengthen both body
and mind, what would it sound like?
A person needs a bit of luck to stumble upon a life
opportunity. When that happens, they must seize
it by the forelock and act on it. They must not delay
the opportunity with excuses about anything they
feel they should do first. At the same time, whatever
the opportunity may be, they must be thoroughly
prepared in order to carry it through successfully. That
means, from school years onwards, paying attention
to the world around you, observing what others do,
learning, trying things out, and experimenting.
I would also recommend reflecting on the words
of the American president John F. Kennedy, who
told young people: “Ask not what your country can
do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”
I did not know this wisdom in my youth, yet somehow
I lived by it. As a student, I designed and, together
with my classmates, built public toilets in Božena
Němcová Park in Přívoz as a volunteer project.
After starting work, I volunteered in the construction
committee in Bohumín. There, I took part in many
projects and later organised the construction of various
facilities for my fellow citizens through voluntary work
– Park pathways, a summer cinema, a self-service
shop in a neighbouring village, the Kališok natural
swimming area, an extensive boathouse for the sailing
club, and a children’s camp with several cabins where
laughter filled the whole summer. I also led similar
initiatives for my employer, such as the Feropur
operation or the Clean Gases plant. At the time,
I devoted my energy simply for the satisfaction that all
of it would serve the people around me.
It is a fact that when I stumbled upon my life opportunity
and began to pursue it, everyone around me willingly
helped – and for that, even after all these years,
I remain deeply grateful.
If you copy something, you can only
improve it marginally. That’s why you
need to seek out original ideas, original
soluons.
| Text: Monika Ševčíková, foto: Richard Konkolski