Don’t Dig Up Your Bamboo Plant!
Lyman Reed
January 15th, 2008
Features, Law of Attraction
If you're new here, you may want to get free updates via email or RSS. Thanks for visiting!
While listening to the Zig Ziglar “Inspiring Words of Encouragement” podcast the other day, I came across a story he told about the bamboo plant (listen to “The Power of Self Talk” dated 6/11/07).
Apparently, after it’s planted, a bamboo plant can take years to being to show any signs of growth above ground. It needs to be cared for and watered during these years, but no evidence of it’s growth witll become apparent for a long, long time.
But once it pokes itself above the ground… look out! It soon becomes one of the tallest and strongest plants in existence.
Human beings work in much the same way.
Unfortunately, when a person first learns about and accepts ideas like the Law of Attraction or Deliberate Creation, it seems to them that once they start thinking positively all good things will start to come to them.
But all that’s happened at this point is a seed has been planted.
And for some of us, that seed has been planted in a garden that’s a real mess!
I know it was for me.
And I also know that it may take years for that seed to fully take root before any real evidence begins to poke it’s head above ground.
Or it could be tomorrow.
Either way is OK. I’m not going anywhere, so there’s no reason to go digging up these beliefs that are serving me so well in my daily life just because I’m not seeing the full blown shoots that I’d like to.
Do you want to dig up your goals, your plans, and your dreams because you haven’t yet seen any evidence of their manifestation?
Or do you want to continue to water them, to feed them, to work on them below the surface?
I don’t care if you forgot to water them yesterday, or for a week, or even if it’s been years since you’ve given them any care.
Our dreams don’t die, no matter how long they’ve been neglected.
Start watering them again… now.
And then be patient.
Keep on taking care of them.
The outside evidence will come.
Just remember the bamboo plant when you start thinking that nothing’s going on.
Because there’s one thing I can guarantee:
If you are doing the watering, then your dreams are doing their growing.
| 3.2 |
Brilliant analogy, Lyman.
Gardening is one of my favorite metaphors for personal growth.
Lyman, I too enjoyed the analogy that you gave us. I thought my dream of being a writer would never materialize until I met a fellow blogger who convinced me that my dream was achievable. He provided the water for my bamboo plant. Never give up on your dreams.
Rick - Thanks. The gardening analogies have always sat well with me whenever I hear them, which is interesting since I’m really not an outdoorsy kind of guy. I think it has to do with the idea that we aren’t always in direct control of many of the factors when it comes to personal growth, just like we can’t “make” a plant grow. We can only tend to it as best we can, and let it do what it does.
Patricia - isn’t it great when we’ve got others who can help us to realize that our dreams and goals *are* worthy.
People can provide that water even when we are bone dry. Thanks for sharing that!
Nice analogy.
I never thought bamboo was so slow to start. I’m still watering my seeds.
Hmm, now I should tend to the garden a bit and remove some more weeds.
Hi Lyman, funny I find this here today. Just today I wrote in my morning pages, “How do you know when to stick with something and when it’s not worth it any more?”
For example, if someone gives you a plant and you have no idea what it is, how do you know that you if you keep watering it will sprout? How do you know the difference between watering a bamboo plant and not seeing it sprout and watering a fern and not seeing it sprout?
As I typed the question, the answer popped up: I guess you have to know what you planted
Thanks,
Lyman
I agree.
In the movie “The Secret” has also mentioned before that there’s a thing called time delay.
I don’t know whether anyone still remember there’s a guy just sent out a thought and immediately there’s a elephant appear in his house the next second. If this happen, it will be chaotic.
Through the journey of Internet Marketing, I really learn to patience because massive traffic don’t come all in a sudden. It takes effort and time to slowly build it up. Sales and subscribers too.
It’s been a wonderful journey with “patience” and I love what you post here! Thanks!
Alex Liu
http://secretsofunlimitedwealth.com
Hi Dean,
The weeding and feeding are a lifelong processes… even when the bamboo pushes it’s way above ground, it’s not indestructible. And it’s the same with us.
Thanks, as always, for the comment, my friend.
Nneka,
What a great point! Knowing what we are putting in really does precede knowing what to expect.
It also reminded me of something from The Greatest Salesman in the World:
“Time teaches all things to him who lives forever but I have not the luxury of eternity. Yet within my allotted time I must practice the art of patience for nature acts never in haste. To create the olive, king of all trees, a hundred years is required. An onion plant is old in nine weeks. I have lived as an onion plant. It has not pleased me.”
Thanks Nneka
Hi Alex,
Thanks for your comments and kind words… and yup, I remember that elephant!
I hadn’t thought about it in a while, but it was one of the parts of the Secret that really resonated with me. Thanks for the reminder!
Hi Lyman, your message is very encouraging.
Albert Einstein has ever said,
“It’s not that I’m smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”
The important principle is the persistence, even when we can’t see the outcome yet, don’t give up, keep on watering your seed.
Thanks for the story!
Robert
Thanks for that quote, Robert. It’s very encouraging to know that even a genius had to add some sweat equity to his work!
The simple truth is that those who were angry to the fields and are persisitence are the only ones that can bring in sheaves.
kevin devoto adds: this is an awesome story… go Zig go. thanks kevin devoto