Nokia is 160 years old. Starting as a paper mill in 1865, it later moved into rubber shoes, tires, and cables. In the 1990s, it went all in on telecommunications, becoming a legendary king of mobile phones. Now it's transforming again into base stations and patent licensing.

What's remarkable about this company isn't how well it made phones, but its ability to find a new lane every time it was nearly extinct. From wood pulp to rubber to phones to 5G—it has survived across four eras.

The secret to corporate longevity: it's not about perfecting one thing, but knowing when to switch lanes. With foundations still intact, you have capital to start over. Nokia's story teaches us that longevity matters more than speed.