five things

I think the five following things are necessary for motivation and success, at any level, be it personal, professional, industrial, cultural, even national.

1. talent (capability)
2. capital (have the means to apply, e.g., pay the entry fee, start a business, or bribe a diplomat to "join the club" whatever that club may be)
3. desire to achieve (desire to apply)
4. vision (direction, guidance as to apply it wisely to improve chances of achieving the desired impact)
5. confidence in your chances of achieving (believe it is accessible)

The USA has more of all of the above than any other country today, which makes them appear a little arrogant (could it be jealousy?). I believe that collectively, we canadians have the talent, capital, vision and confidence (1,2, 4 and 5), but for some reason we content ourselves with doing little more than shipping our natural resources to the USA so we can buy back finished goods. That's fine if you're content to be no.2 in North America, and somewhere in the top 10 in the world, but I think we could be a lot better, if we only had the couliones (sp?) , the desire to take a little risk and be no.1 in a few things (other than things the rest of the world has banned, like GM foods).

I might have snubbed our yankee neighbours on a few occasions, but in all fairness, I think we have to admit economically we're about as adventurous as buzzards, living off the remains of the kill once the yanks are done with it.

(Thanks NN, RW, DL for helping me come about to see things this way.)