Thursday, December 1, 2011

Thank You, Chinese Bamboo

chinese bamboo

Chinese bamboo

“You can have big plans, but it’s the smallest choices that have the greatest power. They draw us toward the future we want to create.” –Robert Cooper

I read an article recently about Chinese bamboo. It’s quite an amazing species. Apparently, once a seed has been sown, you only see a tiny shoot for about five years. During that time, a complex root system underground is forming and then, at the end of the fifth year, the bamboo suddenly shoots up to a height of twenty-five meters (or about 75 feet).

While the growing of bamboo might seem like a tedious or boring subject, the concept reminds us of how we are to maintain our passion and purpose as we move towards our vision. It’s the steps we take on a daily basis, the seemingly small choices we make every day, that guide us closer to our goals. And, it’s the attitude we take with us along that journey that keep us passionate about the end result.

This was especially true for a client of mine. He had the vision of starting his own business and moving to another part of the country that he really enjoyed. In the meantime, however, he found himself in a committed relationship with the responsibility to support his partner and daughter. He felt overwhelmed that he didn’t feel like he was on his path… like he wasn’t being true to his vision.

When he viewed the big picture, it seemed impossible and overwhelming to reach his goal.

Instead, I encouraged him to think like the bamboo. The intimate relationship he is in right now is teaching him to be a clear communicator—a skill that will serve him well as he has employees and clients of his own in the future. The leadership role he is taking—a job he is less-than-thrilled about—is adding to his ability to guide others with an ethical and effective practice. And, the patience he is learning will remind him that great success does not often come overnight, despite the Hollywood stories that paint the picture otherwise.

Just like my client, many of us are laying the foundation of our dreams and visions for the future right now. It’s what we do with our thoughts, actions, and relationships now that will determine our capability of achieving those dreams. And, when we feel overwhelmed and discouraged in the face of challenges, it’s especially important to get back to the simplicity of life, like:

· Taking time each day to nurture the spirit within us (taking action that lights the same fire of our dream in the first place)
·  Finding single tasks where we feel in control (a reminder that we are co-creating our future and that each decision affects the circumstances that follow)
·  And, owning an attitude that we are doing the best we can and there is so much beauty in our lives right now

Then, when the time comes to reap the harvest of your vision (whether it takes five years or fifty), you’ll have the tools, confidence, and support to embrace your new circumstance as if it’s been there all along. In fact, it’s been there in your mind and heart all along


-Kym Coco
Author of "It Just Make Sense"
www.kymcoco.com

Chinese Bamboo





1 comment:

  1. There is no name on this post, so I do not know who wrote it, but I love the metaphor she used of the bamboo, and how the roots grow very large before the part of the plant we see gets bigger. It helps me understand that when we create a smaller dream the roots needed are much smaller so it will flower quicker. If we are creating a bigger dream, or even a much bigger dream, the roots required to support, feed and constantly renew it take much more time to grow. It may take weeks, months, and even years to create a root system for a really big dream. The bigger the dream, the larger the root system needs to be to be able to support it. If we try to force the growth of our dreams, the roots are too weak to support it and the dream may dry up and never reach its full potential. Creating a dream is an organic process, so it will take how long it is supposed to take. It cannot be rushed. If you are feeding your dreams resistance, fear, and doubt, it will take much longer to grow, but if you are able to fertilize it with a positive attitude, confidence that the dream will come into being, and be at peace with how log it takes, your patience will be rewarded. Your dream will come true!

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