Have you ever gotten to the point when you feel like you’ve worked so hard and yet you have nothing to show for it? When you hunkered down, got busy, and felt like you were making progress… but then you looked around and saw the same old thing and nothing had changed? It makes you want to scream. Or cry. Or get angry. Or give up.
That frustration can literally take away all your energy and motivation to do the things that are necessary so that you can accomplish what you set out to do. You mustn’t let it.
Zig Ziglar tells the story of the Chinese Bamboo Tree.
“When this particular seed of the Chinese Bamboo tree is planted, watered and nurtured, for years it doesn’t outwardly grow as much as an inch. Nothing happens for the first year. There’s no sign of growth. Not even a hint.
The same thing happens – or doesn’t happen – the second year. And then the third year. The tree is carefully watered and fertilized each year, but nothing shows. No growth. No anything. So it goes as the sun rises and sets for four solid years. The farmer and his wife have nothing tangible to show for this labor or effort.
Then, along comes year five. After five years of fertilizing and watering have passed, with nothing to show for it – the bamboo tree suddenly sprouts and grows eighty feet in just SIX WEEKS!
Did the little tree lie dormant for four years only to grow exponentially in the fifth? Or, was the little tree growing underground, developing a root system strong enough to support its potential for outward growth in the fifth year and beyond?
The answer is, of course, obvious.
Had the tree not developed a strong unseen foundation it could not have sustained its life as it grew.”
Think about your life for a moment.
More often than not, when we find ourselves in a period of inner growth we become frustrated because the fruits of our efforts remain yet unseen on the outside. We give up before we allow ourselves the opportunity to build the proper foundation that is necessary to truly soar to heights unimaginable.
We must persist. We must dedicate ourselves to the process and remind ourselves where we are in our journey. We all want to feel the rewards. Remind yourself they are coming. They are on their way to you, and that nothing you have done has been in vain.
This solid foundation is vital for your long-term success, so hold tight to your dreams while you are inwardly growing and changing. When you finally do start to sprout and see the rewards on the outside, hang on and enjoy the ride as you unlock your potential and experience your possibilities.
Wishing you all the best,
Krysti
P.S. I’d love to hear your comments – please leave them below
P.S.S. If you want support and you’re ready to start diving deep with me, call me and we’ll see how I can help. Remember you are not alone.
