The Finnish Way Quotes

“Sisu requires a positive exercise of will; it’s a muscle you exercise.”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“When hard times hit—and this is the beauty of Finland—when the going gets tough, many other countries tighten their grip with more control—what Finns do is they let go. They understand that sisu doesn’t come from holding on harder, sisu comes from allowing people to figure out what they’re going to do next.”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“innovation happens when things are tough, not when they’re easy and comfortable.”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“Sisu gives rise to what I call an action mind-set; a courageous attitude which contributes to how we approach challenges. Sisu is a way of life to actively transform the challenges that come our way into opportunities.”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“Though sisu can be linked to sports, for me it’s a kind of daily stamina and resilience to keep everything running, even through life’s gray patches. It’s not about being competitive, like running a marathon and winning. It’s about surviving and thriving in daily life.”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“The capacity of a society to meet the basic human needs of its citizens, establish the building blocks that allow citizens and communities to enhance and sustain the quality of their lives, and create the conditions for all individuals to reach their full potential.”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“There’s a Finnish saying: Onni ei tule etsien, vaan elaen— Happiness is not found by searching but by living.”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“Consider a nature break to be a type of sisu management, shifting the focus from daily demands in order to restore and recharge yourself.”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“Instead of “I can’t” or “I won’t,” how about “How can I?”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“It’s important to cultivate a mind-set that our abilities are not fixed so that we can grow. That has a huge impact, because our beliefs define our future actions, thus what we are likely to do: If I don’t believe I can leave an abusive relationship or that I can run a marathon, then I will most likely not take any action to do those things,”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“Lahti refers to research that indicates the gut produces about 80 percent of the serotonin of our entire system (some estimates place it even higher at 90 or 95 percent).”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“But it is my appreciation for what James Wallman and many others have described—a shift away from possessions and toward experiences—that clinches it. For example, cycling everywhere is something that makes me happy. I wouldn’t want to give that up just to live in a bigger space with more stuff.”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“I can do something relatively time efficient and cost-free and dramatically change how I’m feeling physically and mentally. The sea has become my pharmacy.”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“Sure, if you sit in a tram or a bus, there may occasionally be a drunk or someone less than pleasant to contend with, but you’re participating in the world in the same way that you are when you’re on your bike. You’re seeing people and experiencing the environment. You’re not in an isolated metal box.”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“Sahlberg underlines the Finnish culture of trust—not merely in education. He says it takes the view that if you trust someone to do something, they’ll do a much better job than if there’s an inherent sense of distrust about whether they’ll perform and there are all manner of controls and regulations.”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu

“Is sisu a mental power or muscle that you flex? Where does it come from? Is it a cultural construct, part of a country brand, or a slogan? Or, as I suspect, a sort of mind and body attitude that anyone, anywhere, can tap into? In my quest to wrap my head around the term, I initially apply it liberally to cover a quality that I notice a great many Finns seem to share: a hardy, active, outdoors-in-any-weather, do-it-yourself approach to life. Even when it comes to domestic chores, such as house or window cleaning, which many people could easily afford to pay someone to do, it seems instead to be a source of personal pride and satisfaction to take on the task oneself. I observe that this DIY approach also includes trying to fix things before rushing out to buy new ones and taking on home renovations instead of contracting them out. Doing instead of buying.”
― Katja Pantzar, The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu