Sisu – An Unusual Finnish Strategy For Difficult Moments

During World War II, the Finns – whose numbers were much smaller than the Russians and who knew the sisu strategy – withstood the war stoically.

Have you ever heard of something like sisu? If not, it’s high time you found out about this Finnish strategy.

Life can strike us in countless ways. It does this constantly, coming from different angles and using various strategies. It does not bypass anyone. However, they all differ in the way we approach the difficulties we encounter and the obstacles we face.

Something we are well aware of is that none of us are immune to adversity. Most of us are not prepared for what happens in life, but it turns out that we have the right genetic and biological resources. Man got where he is today thanks to persistence, resilience and courage.

Each of us had to go through many difficulties, losses, problems and falls. Every effort to get up from them and every stone we have passed over is a great achievement that we should be proud of.

Certainly over the years you have gained experience and acquired strategies to help you overcome difficult moments. But there are never too many of them, right? For example, find out what people in other countries and cultures are doing.

For this reason, in this article we would like to tell you about the Finns and their way of approaching difficult moments in life. These people who live in cold lands have a really hot heart and a strong mind ready to fight.

All their willingness to fight and face adversities is captured in one extraordinary word: sisu. Let us explain it to you.

Sisu – a brave spirit in times of adversity

Nowadays, at the very word “Finland” people think of a state of perfect balance, a state with great and inspiring politics, which nothing can be shaken, and which shows a very low percentage of corruption.

Finland’s economy is one of the strongest in the world. It cannot be denied that the democracy formed in the state is doing just as well.

sisu - courage in the face of difficulties

In addition to a strong and bold policy, the country stands out for something else. What? It all starts in 1939, when Russia declared war on Finland.

800,000 Finnish soldiers versus 2.5 million Russian soldiers

The clash between Finnish and Russian troops is undoubtedly one of the most impressive in history.

The former had just over 800,000 soldiers, while the Russians had over two and a half million. Even the climate of Finland did not scare the Russians because it did not differ much from the cold Russian lands.

It turns out, however, that the Finns stoically endured everything, so after a year of violent clashes, peace was signed. The result was the term “sisu”, which has gone down in history forever.

Sisu – the potential that you carry within you

Sometimes, however, it is enough for the opposition to arise for us to force that force to wake up. Once it awakens, we can take advantage of it and use it to maintain endurance. It will help us win.

This is exactly what the Finns did during the Second World War.

man at the seaside and the theory of sisu

Until today, this courage and perseverance are engraved in the hearts of Finns, marking their personality and way of being. It is like a beautiful soul tattoo that teaches never to give up, no matter what difficulties are in the way and what obstacles we have to overcome.

Facing difficulties according to the Finns – five aspects of sisu

1. Try to control your stress and don’t let fear dominate you

In difficult times, we need to learn to deal effectively with anxiety and stress.

If negative emotions want to take control of us, we cannot give up. Otherwise, we will become a stiff branch that the wind can break easily.

We need to learn to control our fears and rationalize the panic we feel in order to be able to control stress and anxiety.

2. Be persistent

Perseverance is a very rare advantage these days, because we are naturally impatient beings, we want to get everything immediately and immediately.

3. Learn respect

For Finns, one of the greatest values is self-respect and respect for others.

Everyone in Finnish society cares about the welfare of others because they understand perfectly well that only in the community they are able to survive. It is honoring and caring for each other that determines the quality of life.

4. Learn to solve small conflicts and you will be able to solve big ones as well

People who have mastered the art of sisu do not run away from problems, but face them, looking for solutions.

Conflicts are a natural part of life. If we learn to solve them from childhood, looking for ways to solve the smallest and simplest difficulties, over time we will also manage to overcome the great ones that our destiny puts in our way.

5. Be resilient today, tomorrow, and always

Resilience is a reflection of the courageous soul and wisdom of a man who has learned to face life’s adversities in order to turn into someone even stronger and even bolder.

Sisu has a lot to do with the idea of resilience. For this reason, for many people these terms are almost interchangeable and synonymous. Sooner or later life will give us a lesson in resilience, so it’s best to put it into practice as soon as possible.

The elements that determine the Finns’ approach to problems deserve our attention and deeper reflection. Let us learn from them, let them be our daily inspiration. Let’s create strategies that allow us to traverse the islands of sorrow safely and turn them into territory of happiness.