What You Can Learn From The Chinese Bamboo Tree

I’ve always been a fan of analogies. I know that people understand ideas better when you use analogies and that there is something about the human brain that just responds to them. Sort of like teaching lessons through stories. There is just something about it that makes it easier to learn and understand concepts. The analogy of the Chinese bamboo tree is one of my favorites. Well perhaps analogy isn’t the best term because it’s really just the facts about how the tree grows and what that teaches us.

Yet nevertheless I am well aware that nature has left many clues as to how the world works on its own. The seasons, how things grow, the natural order, survival of the fittest. There are always lessons for those who are wise enough to look. When you are out alone enjoying your solitude you can learn many things from simply observing what is around you. But enough bout that, this article is about the Chinese bamboo tree and what it has to teach us about life, growth, success, and self-development.

The Growth Cycle Of The Chinese Bamboo Tree

The Chinese bamboo tree starts out the first four years of it’s life without any noticeable signs of growth. It’s put into the ground and taken care of and watered for four years with absolutely nothing to show for (visually at least). Then in the Chinese bamboo tree’s fifth year it will break the ground and grow. Not only does it grow but it will grow ninety feet in five weeks time. It goes from nothing to a towering tree within five weeks.

Of course without proper watering and taking care off this will never happen. Likewise if it’s given up on within those first four years nothing will happen either. While we cannot physically see the changes that are taking place within the seed, they are there. And those changes have a powerful effect. An effect great enough to grow the tree higher than many of those around you it in an incredibly short span of time.

What The Tree Has To Teach Us

While the seed is not changing it is storing up energy and power. Energy and power that when unleashed propel it higher and faster than any other in such a short amount of time. Every day of watering has its effect, nothing is wasted. The seed is absorbing the nutrients around it becoming stronger and stronger every time. It mirrors the successful man perfectly. The successful man spends him time gathering information and taking action on it.

He may have nothing to show for it at first but he continues on. He keeps reading, keeps learning, and keeps ascending to a higher level. He focuses on his growth first and foremost, even when others around him don’t see any changes in him. They think he is a fool or a waste of time. Why not just relax and take it easy? Why work so hard when you’re barely living above the level we are? But the successful man ignores them and keeps gaining power.

When Success Comes, It Comes In Full

Napoleon Hill talked about when success came it came quickly and in great amounts in his great book Think & Grow Rich. I don’t remember the exact quote but came across the idea in my notes on the book earlier. You keep taking action with seemingly nothing to show for it then suddenly the big pay day comes in and then it comes in again and again. Then that big payday becomes the regular payday and the cycle is repeated. The Chinese bamboo tree seed keeps storing that energy inside of it until it explodes and grows faster than ever before.

You can be the Chinese bamboo tree if you follow its lesson. Keep at it, keep gaining knowledge, keep learning, keep adapting, keep fighting. Maybe not today or tomorrow but down the road if you keep at it you will reap the reward. Success is a marathon not a sprint. You have to keep at it day in and day out for results. Behind every “overnight success” there was years of hard work and dedication. Years of toiling in obscurity. But it paid off in the end. Just like the Chinese bamboo tree.

Summary

When success comes it comes quickly and in large amounts. Every “big break” was preceded by grinding it out day in and day out. Success is not a straight line and growth is not linear. It happens in leaps and jumps, then seemingly nothing happens only for more leaps and bounds to occur. If you keep at it, you’ll reap what you sow. This applies to gains in PRs, blog traffic, and most other things in life. Keep at it and then be amazed at the growth that occurs.

If you have any questions you would like to see answered in a future post send them to me at charlessledge001 (at) gmail (dot) com. If you found value in this post then I would encourage you to share this site with someone who may need it as well as check out my books here. I appreciate it. You can follow me on Twitter here.

-Charles Sledge