Joanna Nylund - Sisu: The Finnish Art of Courage

What is sisu and why do we need it? Discover the Finnish quality of sisu and how cultivating it can help you lead a life of greater purpose and happiness.

Sisu could well be the favorite word of the Finnish people. Popularized in the 1920s but originating in the hazy past, this untranslatable term refers to a mix of courage, resilience, grit, tenacity and perseverancecharacteristics that have shaped not just the fate of a nation but the individual lives of Finns on a daily basis.

Finland ranks consistently high in international surveys of happiness. A small country of roughly five and a half million people, tucked away in the northeastern corner of Europe, Finland has neverthelessin a quiet, understated waymade its mark on the world. You would be hard-pressed to find a bragging Finn, as blowing your own horn is considered extremely uncivilized. Ask a Finn what the secret to our success is, and you are likely to get a shrug and a mumbled objection to there even being one. But those who believe that it could be down to sisu are on to something. We are secretly proud of our sisu, you see.

So what does happiness mean for a Finn? Peace and quiet, order, independence, functionality and fairness all rank high, with spending time in nature being listed as a top happiness contributor in a recent survey. Finnish ideals are still colored by a history of scarcity and having to tame a harsh environment. Which goes some way toward explaining why, in this age of comfort, many Finns still prefer their summer cabins to lack basic amenities (see ) and why we have a lovehate relationship with the climate.

Ultimately, sisu has a proven track record. Finland has built, and rebuilt, its future several times over. Looking at sisu as a guiding ethos in life, I believe it has much to offer us.

Like many cultural constructs that become ingrained from the start, sisu feels a little elusive. But how can we locate the defining thread of a weave? Where do you start? Sisu has been a well-kept secret for so long that unlocking it will take some close examination.

When I told a good friend I was working on this book, she said: Its one of the most beautiful things you can say to someone, isnt it, that they have sisu. I still remember vividly the first time my parents said it to me.

AN INVISIBLE AND OMNIPRESENT FORCE

For anyone growing up in Finland, the concept of sisu is invisibly present everywhere. True to our national character, it is acted on more than it is spoken about. But there is no mistaking the place it has in our hearts. Some even argue that it is impossible to understand Finns and Finland without first understanding sisu.

Like my friend said, it is a highly prized characteristic. We credit sisu with giving us freedom and perseverance. On the eve of a race or an exam, parents encourage their children to look inside themselves for sisu. Being told you have it has the effect of bolstering it further, while feeling that you lack sisu has a correspondingly deflating effect on your self-esteem.

Even though it rarely gets defined, one thing is for sure: sisu matters.

The concept of sisu in the Finnish language is at least five hundred years old. In the most literal sense, sisu refers to the guts (sisus or sislmykset) inside our bodies. It is thought to stem from the ancient belief that the belly was a location of strength (think fire in ones belly) and the place where our determination originates.

SISU IS MANY THINGS

The exact meaning of sisu is difficult to define. Theres no one word in the English language with a literal parallel, and even in Finnish, sisu stands for a cluster of traits that includes stoic determination, hardiness, courage, bravery, willpower, tenacity and resilience. Sisu is an action-oriented mindset: it comes into play as you take on a challenge seemingly beyond your capacity. It is called upon when adversity and opposition force you to give up and only your courage allows you to hold on.