Here’s a Great Lesson From the Chinese Bamboo Tree Farmer

As we discuss the importance of consistency today, I want to share a lesson from the Chinese bamboo tree farmer that I heard years ago and have never forgotten!

Do you know the story of the Chinese bamboo tree farmer? (Click on image below if you prefer to watch a video rather than read.)

The Chinese bamboo tree grows in the far east, and once the seed is planted it must be watered and fertilized every single day without missing one single day…for FIVE YEARS…before the first sprout breaks through the soil!

Can you imagine having the commitment to consistency the farmer must have to water and fertilize every single day for five years without seeing any results, but still taking consistent action believing by faith that a positive result will occur?

Then, FIVE YEARS later it breaks through the soil?

Can you imagine what the neighbors would be saying during those first five years if we did such a thing?

I can just hear the neighbors saying…

“What in the world is he/she doing going out there watering this piece of dirt day after day, week after week, month after month?”

“They say they are growing a Chinese bamboo tree. I don’t see anything growing! Have they lost their mind?”

Sound familiar? Have you ever had someone say something negative about you, or your goals and dreams that you are working towards?

Well, guess what?

This is certain to encourage you…

After five years of doing this daily, if the farmer is consistent every single day, it breaks through the top of the soil, and (drum roll please)…

Within just FIVE WEEKS, the Chinese bamboo tree grows to 90 feet tall!

That’s 90 feet in five weeks!

So here is the question - did the Chinese bamboo tree grow to 90 feet tall in five weeks or five years?

I think the answer is obvious. It took five years, not five weeks!

It required the farmer watering and fertilizing and nurturing that seed every day without fail.

And this relates to each of us that are entrepreneurs and own a business (as well as to other areas of life too).

Our businesses are built upon consistency. People will begin to respect you, your business and what you are doing when they see consistency.

People will want to start joining your business as a client, customer, business partner, etc. when they see your consistency, which allows their confidence to rise.

And thankfully, although some may need to see five years of consistency, as the Chinese bamboo tree requires, most will not.

Depending upon your level of influence with others, some won’t require any consistency. Others may only need to see a few weeks of consistency. While still others will need to see months of your consistency.

Some may even require seeing a year or two or three of consistency, but just as the Chinese bamboo tree farmer’s key to having their massive “overnight” success was the result of the five years of daily, consistent watering, fertilizing and nurturing, the same will be true of your consistent daily actions over time.

Consistency is the key to success in anything!

How many people do you think quit right before they succeed? (I will address next week).

I have no doubt that many people stop giving their businesses (or relationships, or their health, or whatever) their all because they don’t see the result they thought they would experience within a certain timeline, whether that’s a week, a month, six months, a year or whatever.

Thankfully in our businesses, and every other area of life, we don’t have to be consistent every day, without missing one single day for five years to see results.

If we are consistent daily, we will see results. Many of us within days, most within weeks and months, and everyone that is consistent (and able to learn, adjust and grow through failures) realizes substantial results within years!

But how many people stop just a little short of realizing their goals and dreams?

How many people, using the Chinese bamboo tree analogy, water and fertilize for four years and 364 days and say, “This doesn’t work! Nothing is growing! This is too hard!”

They may even walk away not knowing they were “one day” away from massive growth and from becoming an “overnight success!”

One of my mentors said a while back that we are only one or two key habits away from massive transformation in any area of our life, whether it is marriage, health, wealth, or our businesses.

Let’s commit to consistency in all that we do and continue planting the seeds. Keep taking the positive steps.

Keep moving forward towards your goals, one positive action step at a time, and whatever you do, don’t quit!

Until next time,