Bamboo

I read every day, even if it’s only for 15-20 minutes, it’s one of the most important parts of my To-Do List. In the pages of each book are ideas and inspiration to get me to my best version of me. There’s a story I can lose myself in, escape the reality of the world, create a better reality in the present. There are tips, tools and instructions to help me grow every part of me. Books are fascinating. I’m starting to amass quite a collection these days, both the hard copy type and the ebook style. When I travel, I love to load up my iPad with a bunch of different books because I never really know what I’m going to be in the mood for. And because it’s a helluva lot lighter than attempting to stuff 15 different books into my carry-on.

I love to share and build upon ideas shared with me from these various books. Sometimes I feel like downloading the thoughts from my brain onto paper (sometimes virtual paper) helps me make sense of it all and it really helps me to deepen my understanding. When I dig down deep enough, I’m fairly certain that’s why I started this blog. I like to share experiences, thoughts, stuff in general. I figure that if I can do something for someone somewhere, even if I never know about it, then I’m spreading light in this world. And I believe it does. It’s what keeps me going.

When you know better, you can do better. That’s what caught my attention today. To be honest, it’s nothing I haven’t thought, said and believed before, but for some reason it caught my attention today when it jumped off the page of the book I’m reading. It got me thinking about my past experiences. I’ve been to many different seminars and workshops, read a ton of books and have been coached by some of the finest people I’ve ever met. So after all that, why do I still feel like I’m spinning my tires, stuck in the same spot I’ve been in for a while now?

Have you ever heard the story about a man and his bamboo tree? Every morning, he’d go out and water his tree. As with many neighborhoods, when you do something enough, the people start to notice. So they watch him out there watering his tree day after day, month after month, year after year. People begin asking him why he bothers because clearly nothing is happening. Perhaps the tree is a dud, they suggest. Others tell him to dig it up and plant a new one. The man smiles and continues on with watering the tree. People point, whisper, perhaps even make fun of him. After a while they get angry, thinking what does he know that they do not? Still the man faithfully waters his tree. The man has always had a choice: he can keep doing what he’s doing, believing that it will be everything he has hoped for or he can stop. He, like everyone else, can see no visible signs of growth or activity happening and it’s like this for 4 years. Some have their patience tested, wondering if the efforts will ever be rewarded. He chooses to believe and persist. In the 5th year, his bamboo tree sprouted 80 feet in 6 weeks.

Obviously the tree wasn’t dormant for the first 4 years. All of the work was being done beneath the surface, all where no one could see. You see, the root system needed to be strong enough to support the massive growth that was coming. If the foundation hadn’t grown first, there would have been no way to sustain the beautiful tree. I believe that’s how it is for most things. The growth has to come before the big reward and, most of the time, that work is done when no one is watching.

I’m no bamboo expert, so I don’t even know if that’s how bamboo works, but I do love the story. I love his belief in his vision. It doesn’t really matter what anyone else believes to be true, he carries on, undeterred by anyone or their opinions and it got me thinking. Millions of dollars are spent around the globe on growth opportunities. Seminars, books, conferences, classes. There are some people who come out of these experiences and they blaze a trail. Others have good intentions to, but never actually do anything. Why is that?

The difference is the individual. The difference is the belief they carry in themselves and what they’re doing. It must be unshakeable. Each and every thing you face in a day is won or lost between your ears, before the actual hands-on work has even begun. Your mind is your biggest cheerleader or your biggest headache. The thing is though, that behaviors can be changed and relearned. You have that power. I have that power. But we can’t change how someone else thinks or what they believe. We can be positive support, an uplifting coach or a great role model, but we can’t do it for anyone else. We must work on ourselves first and then we can share what we’ve learned, in hopes of inspiring someone else to keep going. There’s no magic formula. You have to do the work first.

I suppose that’s why I am where I am. I haven’t finished learning enough at this place yet. I need to work on my belief in me. Once I’ve got that going, then I believe I’ll begin to experience the changes I’m after. So from now on when people ask me why something is taking me so long to do or achieve, I’m just going to smile and tell them I’m bamboo.