I want to narrate 2 fascinating stories that i read and how i look at these stories from time to time for inspiration in my career and life -
#Story No 1 - Did you know that nobody knew the airplane was invented for almost 5 years since it's invention? Yes, this is true. The story goes like this -
First in 1901, many newspapers were laughing on the idea that 'a man can fly like a bird'. 2 years later, on 17th December 1903, Orville & Wilbur Wright did the impossible - They make the first successful flight Orville piloted the aircraft, which stayed afloat for 12 seconds and covered 120 feet on it's maiden journey. But the story has a fascinating twist - After they conquered their first flight, nobody seemed to notice. Nobody seemed to care. Several years went by before the government, press & the general public could take notice on what the Wright brothers were doing. It was not until May 1908 - nearly 5 years after the 1st flight - that reporters were sent to observe what they were doing and the whole world at last came to know the fact that human flight has been successfully accomplished. Surprising, isn't it but that's how the world functions for the majority.
Now compare this story with the slow, years long awakening organisations & people take to recognize our talent, potential and efforts and how at every turn our circumstances keep reminding us that 'we have hit a wall'. Many of us can relate to this frustration and anger. I am no different. And whenever, I am down with these thoughts, I fall back to this story and make up my mind on the fact that for many of us, 'growth' and 'recognition' will take time and during that time we have to 'hang in there'. I have seen and read that growth is driven by compounding and the irony is that growth - if you can stick around - is a more powerful force because it compounds. Hence, i believe that if one continues to persevere and work the hardest with discipline, belief and optimism; along with little 'luck and life's randomness' by your side, one can achieve what he/she wants. Personally, I am yet to achieve the greatness & recognition in my career which i am aspiring to but I am definitely living and working with the principles that i have mentioned here.
#Story No.2 - Did you know that a particular variety of Arabic dates bear fruits in 40 years before they can actually be sold ? That means, that particular orchard has to be taken care for 40 long years. Anthony Dreden, the legendary investor shares this story and it goes like this -
Anthony Dreden met an Arabic date farmer who had inherited an orchard that had about thousand trees. As the farmer was showing the orchard to Tony, he took him to something like a a hundred trees that were recently planted. Tony asked him out of curiosity, "How long will it take to bear fruit"
The farmer replied, "Well, this particular variety will bear fruit in about 20 years. But that is not good enough for the market. It may be about 40 years before we can actually sell it"
Tony replied, "I have never heard this. I did not know this. Are there other date trees that would produce faster ?" Meanwhile, he looked at all those trees that were being harvested and realized that this farmer could not have possibly planted them.
The farmer tells Tony, "Okay. Here's my grandfather and my father, great grandfather."
It was fascinating, isn't it ? Why would a man do something today for which he would receive no reward in his lifetime ? And the only reason he would do this if his time preference is solo. That he is concerned about this family's wealth a generation or two from now and also because he has benefitted from the trees that his father & grandfather planted...
Now, compare that story with our present aspirations & lives. What if, due to various reasons and more so because of life's randomness, we haven't got that opportunity to prove our potential, yet. On the person front, I haven't got that opportunity yet hence the least i do is to impart the lessons, knowledge & experiences that i have acquired in my lifetime to my friends and everybody that i meet & interact so that they are better prepared to succeed in their lives, if opportunity arises for them. I am also preparing the next generation and laying a foundation for their success too. And for me as the saying goes - what goes around, come around and this act of gratitude might come back to me in form of an opportunity from somebody else, who knows ?
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