“Live your beliefs and
you can turn the world around.”
Henry David Thoreau
you can turn the world around.”
Henry David Thoreau
There is a parable that tells of a farmer who decided to plant a Chinese Bamboo tree, one of the most difficult trees in the world to grow. He planted the seed. For days, weeks and months, he gently and faithfully tended the seed.
At the end of year one, no tree had grown. People in his community thought he was crazy. He was tending a mound of dirt. Didn't he know that the seed was dead. Another year passed and still he tended that mound of dirt. Another year passed and still he tended the spot where he had planted the seed. This continued for two more years, no sprouts, nothing. By the fifth year, people really believed he had lost his mind and ridiculed him.
Suddenly, three months into the fifth year the trunk of a tree shot out of the soil stretching high into the air. Five years and three months later a seemingly dormant seed grows 90 feet!
My point...
Often times, we make the choice to start taking action on a dream and plant a seed. At first, we receive a great deal of support People are excited for and with us. Cheering us on, they want to share in our idea, our dream our passion. Time passes and nothing has sprouted. No tree has broken the ground; people stop asking us how our idea is going. We still want and need to talk about it but we are alone.
We still want and need to talk about it. Rain or shine, our dream still needs to nurtured and tended. Economics cause us to tighten our belt as money, resources and support become even more scarce. Once in a while there are a few believers but for the most part we are on our own. Rain shine. Seasons pass and still we trudge on investing time, blood, sweat and tears.
To keep our dream alive we find new ways to nurture the soil. We repair strained relationships, cultivate new ones. We seek advice. Learn more lessons. Network more. Play and work differently. Adding different perspectives, we travel out of our comfort zone because although we are tired our and bloodied, our head is unbowed.
BAM! One day, that tree bursts from the soil and stands in front of us 90 feet tall.
Just planting the seed would not have been enough. Day-in, day-out, investing talent, courage, determination and passion has to continue. Then the day comes when we can see, feel, taste and touch that 90 foot tree in front of us.
Are you willing to not just plant that see, but to cultivate and nurture that seed that will generate significant growth so that one day you too can embrace significant growth in your business, your community, your life?
At the end of year one, no tree had grown. People in his community thought he was crazy. He was tending a mound of dirt. Didn't he know that the seed was dead. Another year passed and still he tended that mound of dirt. Another year passed and still he tended the spot where he had planted the seed. This continued for two more years, no sprouts, nothing. By the fifth year, people really believed he had lost his mind and ridiculed him.
Suddenly, three months into the fifth year the trunk of a tree shot out of the soil stretching high into the air. Five years and three months later a seemingly dormant seed grows 90 feet!
My point...
Often times, we make the choice to start taking action on a dream and plant a seed. At first, we receive a great deal of support People are excited for and with us. Cheering us on, they want to share in our idea, our dream our passion. Time passes and nothing has sprouted. No tree has broken the ground; people stop asking us how our idea is going. We still want and need to talk about it but we are alone.
We still want and need to talk about it. Rain or shine, our dream still needs to nurtured and tended. Economics cause us to tighten our belt as money, resources and support become even more scarce. Once in a while there are a few believers but for the most part we are on our own. Rain shine. Seasons pass and still we trudge on investing time, blood, sweat and tears.
To keep our dream alive we find new ways to nurture the soil. We repair strained relationships, cultivate new ones. We seek advice. Learn more lessons. Network more. Play and work differently. Adding different perspectives, we travel out of our comfort zone because although we are tired our and bloodied, our head is unbowed.
BAM! One day, that tree bursts from the soil and stands in front of us 90 feet tall.
Just planting the seed would not have been enough. Day-in, day-out, investing talent, courage, determination and passion has to continue. Then the day comes when we can see, feel, taste and touch that 90 foot tree in front of us.
Are you willing to not just plant that see, but to cultivate and nurture that seed that will generate significant growth so that one day you too can embrace significant growth in your business, your community, your life?
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