Don't stop moving even if only sideways

A young man was very frustrated with his life. He worked very hard and sincerely but failure was all that he learnt. With a sense of defeat and dejection in life, he left everything and went into the woods. When he was walking aimlessly, the disappointed man met a master and started sharing stories of his failure. “Give me one good reason not to quit?” he pleaded with the master.

“Look,” the master said, pointing towards two plants. “Do you see that fern and bamboo there?

“Yes,” the man nodded.

“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them water, light and fertilizer. Within a short period of time the fern quickly grew from the earth,” the master continued.

“But despite the bamboo seed being watered and nurtured for years, it did not grow even an inch. In fact, nothing at all happened in the first year. There was no sign of growth. But I did not give up on the bamboo seed and continued to water and nurture it. By the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. And within six months, the tree grew a hundred feet tall.”

“So, did the bamboo tree lie dormant for four years only to grow exponentially in the fifth?” the master asked. Baffled by the question the man kept quiet. “The answer is quite obvious. The little tree was growing underground, developing a root system strong enough to support its potential for outward growth in the fifth year and beyond. Had the tree not developed a strong foundation, it would not have sustained its life as it grew.”

“All these times of struggle are the times when you are growing your roots,” remarked the master.

The man learned his lesson that day. The fern and the bamboo stood right in front of him as he walked towards his life to continue to work on his dreams.

To lose patience is to lose a battle. Patience allows you to be in control of your response to people and situations. Be mindful of the triggers that cause impatience and reframe them. Patience can achieve more than force. Evaluate the root cause of the triggers and respond to situations rather than reacting impulsively. True strength is not only in the ability to persist, but also the ability to start again. Tough situations gives opportunities for growth. Every time you face such a situation, grab the opportunity to start it afresh. If you can’t move forward, move sideward, but just keep moving. No matter what you do and how you feel, remember no one has ever gotten success going back, so keep moving. Those crazy ones who think they can change the world, are the ones who do. If you think you can solve the world’s problems, then stop not, go ahead and focus on what to do next because you are on the right track.

Sriram Bharatam is the Founder & Chief Mentor of Kuza Biashara Limited, a capacity-building organisation that coaches youth & SME owners across Africa. He can be reached @Sbharatam or [email protected]