Before the discovery of Australia, people in the Old World (specifically Europe), believed that all swans were white.

In fact, the Roman poet Juvenal Born 55-60 CE) in his poem Satire Vi wrote and I quote:

“ a rare bird in the world, very similar to the black swan”

However, the expedition led by dutch explorer Willem De Vlamingh discovered a black swan in Australia in 1697 breaking the myth about all the swans being white.

The beauty of this discovery is how one little bird changes your entire world view held for centuries.

The rarity, unpredictability and the impact of the find explains all there is to know about success, failures, sustainability in our personal and professional lives.

Just because something hasn’t happened doesn’t mean, it can’t in the future.

Diamonds are “RARE” & “FOREVER”?

Says who, well the marketing companies do.

First formed billions of years ago due to intense heat and pressure and brought to the surface by volcanic eruptions, diamonds became popular only in twentieth century thanks to the marketing efforts making them seem “RARE” and “FOREVER”.

What’s “RARE”?

We all know that something that’s scarce, uncommon or infrequently encountered qualifies as rare.

For example, a species whose population has dwindled to 10000 or lower.

A disease that impacts 65 or lower number of people per 100000.

Tsunamis or major earthquake are rare.

Is “RARE” getting closer home?

And then there is another kind of rare-modern life in the 21^st century.

Human relationships that were simpler for ages and centuries have seen profound changes in the last century or so like most of the other elements around.

As lifestyles improved, income became better and we got more nuanced not just about our preferences but the ability to freely express them, modern lives became complicated.

Differences in how people express or want attachments to be expressed towards them, ability to communicate, the expectations from each other make getting into a relationship and sustaining it in a healthy way highly complicated.

Finding a “true connection” has become so rare and so has the ability to have a true relationship that lasts.

Respecting each other and not just running after the next best thing.

And this would apply to both personal and professional relationships.

A new employee gives the same hope to the Management as a new partner gives to a human being.

Alienating people has thus become easier than ever and sometimes it’s very difficult to go back once you have turned your back on someone as soon as the next best thing happens to you.

Is “RARE” really “RARE”?

Global population estimates peg black swan population at a minimum of 100,000.

As per a research team at MIT, there is over a quadrillion tone of rough diamonds that lie deep below the earth’s surface.

Yes, you read that right there are over 10 crore crore tons of diamonds available below the surface of earth.

That’s to say that “RARE” things happen-they happen less but they do happen.

What’s the “REAL” Challenge?

Some of the diamond supply mentioned above might be so deep that the cost of extraction will make it unviable for anyone to afford it.

Sometimes a rare disease (covid for instance) will spread in a way that all life will be endangered.

This is where everything gets tricky?

Take for instance the search for a “True connection” between people.

Sometimes, it’s like the deep extraction that you might have to go for if you are targeting to capture 100% of the diamond supply.

Apply that if you must to investors who have seen a “RARE VIRTUOUS CYCLE” last 4 years and think that this is how investing is supposed to be-well all know how that turns out.

Don’t WE?

Well, “Virtuous Cycles” have happened in the past-think Japan in 80’s, India from 2003-07 or the 1994-99 period in the US

The “BIG” Question?

Rare will come your way, and you will recognize it but can you respect it, make the most of it, preserve it and then make sure to lve with its ups and downs because they will happen.

If you find that rare connection with someone-a friend, boy/girlfriend/husband/colleague/employer-can you balance the positives with the negatives and be able to keep the rare while working with the not so desirable traits and let the bigger picture guide you or will you lose patience because of the negatives and let go of the rare.

Because remember its “RARE”-low probability occurrence, might never happen again.

I hope you do get the rare and never let it go