Once upon a time (all good stories start this way)… In a small village there was a farmer named Wu. He was just a normal farmer who farmed the same crops as everyone else. But he wanted more. So he started looking for other types of crops. He decided bamboo would be best for him. When he told his plan to his friends and family, they made fun of him, calling him foolish, and constantly warning him that he would probably fail. However, Wu knew this was the right idea. He had done his homework and was confident that he was making the right decision. The bamboo seed is a very difficult to nurture. Once the seed is planted, it must be in the ground and nurtured for 4 to 5 years. It will not break the surface for 4 to 5 years. It needs that much nurturing. Day after day, year after year, his neighbors mocked him. Each year they all harvested their crops while he had nothing at all to show for his efforts. He was committed and confident in his decision. Once it breaks the surface, bamboo can grow to 90 feet in five weeks. 90 FEET... That is as tall as a 9 story building. And it gets that high in only 5 weeks. By the end of the fifth summer he had a virtual bamboo forest. He harvested his crop and sold it for a huge profit. His neighbors were astonished. It looked as if it happened overnight. At this point, some of you are saying, "That's nice, but so what? Unless I see a cute panda chewing on a bamboo stalk, why does this matter to me?" I am glad you asked... I have been thinking about the Chinese bamboo tree and what it can teach me about goals. So how does this apply to us and our goals? To me, the seed is like our goals buried and resting inside us. Just like the seed, goals needs to be nurtured and nurtured and nurtured before they can truly take root and start to grow. This nurturing cannot stop. It must not stop. All this effort is needed to break through and see the light of day. Once your goals see the light of day, then they will grow at a fantastic rate. They will grow so high and so fast that those around you cannot help but notice. Those around you may not see or understand your goals. They may make fun of you because of this. Who cares? These are your goals for you to nurture. Don't let anyone stop you from nurturing your goals regardless of the time it takes. That is why achieving our goals should be viewed as a journey; A journey that takes time and effort, just as the Chinese Bamboo Tree's seed takes time and effort. I encourage you to remember the story of this seed. Remember, just as the bamboo tree grows so fast once it breaks the surface, who knows how far your goals could take you...
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