Little by little one walks far

“In everything you do in your life keep in mind the miracle of the Chinese bamboo tree. After the seed for this amazing tree is planted, you see nothing, absolutely nothing, for four years except for a tiny shoot coming out of a bulb. During those four years, all the growth is underground in a massive, fibrous root structure that spreads deep and wide in the earth. But then in the the fifth year the Chinese bamboo tree grows up to eighty feet!” Stephen Covey

A couple years ago I remember reading this as I was sitting in my supervisors office as an intern. Three years later, I am thinking about the analogy and it could not have more meaning in my life. Sometimes it feels like I am putting so much time and energy into aspects of my life where I see little to no change. This makes me feel very disheartened, frustrated, and impatient/angry with life. I find myself getting caught up in the moment and begin to feel sorry for myself and angry that things do not seem as easy for me as they do for others. However, what motivates me is the thought that if I keep at it and use the difficult times to build a strong foundation for myself, when things become easier (as they eventually always do) I will have learned some important lessons to help me keep growing as a person.

Reading this analogy re-affirms this thought for me. It is easier to think "this is a waste of time" or "I am not getting anywhere" and to give up. But the challenge is to remain steadfast and strong even when you are not seeing results. It is similar to exercising. You can work out everyday and not see an ounce of difference in your body. But Keep working out consistently for a month, two months, etc. and you will begin to see a big change. Sometimes it may feel as if my everyday efforts are not getting me anywhere, but if I keep at it, one day I will look back and realize I am where I am because of my consistent devotion to working hard and improving myself. And when that time comes my foundation will be strong enough to support and handle my next endeavor.