It Pays To Persevere
Once upon a time, a king made an announcement that anyone who wanted the post of a personal assistant must meet him. Many people gathered at the palace.
The king led them to a pond and said, “The one who can fill water from the pond into this bucket will be chosen for the post. But remember, there is a hole in the bucket.”
Some people left without trying at all, after hearing the last statement. Some gave it a shot once and then said, “The king has already chosen someone else. Let’s go.”
But one man kept filling the bucket with water patiently. He filled the water in the bucket from the pond and came to dry land.
However, within a few minutes, the water leaked. He kept doing this for a long time till eventually, the pond became dry. The man found a diamond ring at the bottom of the pond and he gave it to the king. The king said, “This ring is a reward for your patience and hard work. You are fit for the job.”
This was a story I remembered from my childhood days. Back then, patience seemed like such an easy word.
It was so much easier to tell ourselves to be patient and persevere through “hard times” (our problems back then largely revolve around not being able to watch TV on school days).
These days, most of us are often expected to fill hole-ridden buckets, and it can get very frustrating. It is always easier to be the majority in that story, and walk away from what we deem to be impossible and a waste of our time and energy.
So how do we persevere through frustrating times? One way is by looking at the big picture. Here are three tips to help you focus.
Remember that things take time
Take a moment. Think about your most fulfilling moments, like achieving a goal you set for yourself.
The best outcomes we get are often those where we carefully and patiently work towards. It takes dedication and time to get things done properly.
It is very easy to give up on goals, dreams and achievements when we are impatient.
Remember what matters
Remember that reaching the end of the road always feels better if the journey is amazing. Being impatient does not give you an amazing journey.
It gives you stress that makes you look unpleasant (yes it really does). Keep your focus on the things that matter and you will find it easier to keep your patience.
Remember to stay relaxed and keep a positive mindset
When you are feeling agitated and impatient, just stop what you are doing for a moment. Close your eyes, take in deep, slow breaths to help you relax. When you are in this position, think about the positive things you have in life. We usually get impatient when things seem to be going wrong.
Focus on the good things about the situation you are in now. For example, late for class? Well, good thing you have a mobile phone to inform them that you are going to be late. There is almost always something good to pick up from every bad situation. Let us all strive to become like the man in the story, don’t let holes in buckets hinder us from the great things life has in store for us. Patience always pays off.
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