Thank You, 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

switching our outlook