Learning the Process of Growth and Improvement from the Tree of Bamboo

“The trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.”—Moliere

Bamboo is a perennial plant of the tree family. Its stem consists of hollow sections which are partially responsible for the jointed structure of the tree. It grows mostly in tropical regions and is copious in southeastern Asia, where it has many uses in the practical affairs of human life. Its numerous usages include construction of houses, building of rafts, and the making of scaffolding. Last but not the least benefit from the tree is that it’s grain serves as foodstuff and the young shoots of the bamboo tree also serve as edible vegetable.

The foregoing clearly shows the great value of this special tree to hundreds of million people in the world. Generally, good things require time and patience to blossom, and that’s why I have chosen this tropical tree as the focal point on the lessons of growth and improvement. As useful as the bamboos are, and as remarkable as their later growth are, the initial stage of growth is strangely slow compared to many other trees in the world. 

Let’s see what I am talking about in greater detail:

This amazing tree is different from most trees by how it grows. The bamboo tree doesn’t break through the ground for the first four years. And the bamboo farmer is quite patient because of his knowledge of the nature of the tree. When the tree is planted deep down in the ground, the farmer nurtures and waters it for many days. And he nurtures and waters the plant for many more days, up to 365 days, even though; there is no outward sign of progress. 

What’s more, he continues this for more than 700 days and still, no visible sign of improvement. Still, he keeps watering the tree for another 400 days and yet no noticeable signal of growth. Any novice farmer would have quit because it all seems to be for nothing. 

Then, surprisingly, after four solid years of hard toil, the tree finally grows up to 90 feet in the fifth year—in about just 60 days. Remarkable, isn’t it?

The tree had been using four years to prepare for those two months of incredible growth. And here in lies the powerful lesson we want to take away today. That you shouldn’t grow weary during your period of struggle by the absence of visible improvement. You may think that nothing is happening, whereas, a lot is actually taking place, it is not just visibly apparent to you at those moments. This is what the American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow meant when he said:

"Every man must patiently bide his time. He must wait –not in listless idleness but in constant, steady, cheerful endeavors, always willing and fulfilling and accomplishing his task, that when the occasion comes he may be equal to the occasion."

What We Can Learn and Apply from the Tree

“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”—A. A. Milne

On the pursuit of our dreams, we shouldn’t allow haste and impatience to open the doors of despair, especially when it seems like nothing is happening. We must keep watering our plants and wait patiently for the results to come in its time.

The essential lesson here is about working unremittingly with a reliable process and being less concerned about the immediate perceptible results of your efforts but on the consistent performance of your duty.

For example:

On Scholarship

As a student who aims to graduate with summa cum laude. Don’t worry about ultimate outcome but COMMIT to the process of studying every single day.

On Writing

As a writer who aims to write a bestselling book. Don’t fret about the ultimate outcome but COMMIT to the process of writing each and every day.

On Business

As a business owner whose goal is to enlist on Forbes. Be less disturbed about the ultimate outcome but COMMIT to the process of delighting your customers every single day.

You see, the process of growth  that we learn from bamboo tree shows that remarkable improvement don't just happen overnight, it is a product of cumulative effort that has been made over a long period of time. 

So, commit to the process of watering and nurturing your plant each day, regardless of what people are saying and regardless of what even you are seeing now. Continue your work; believing that if you put in the work without cease, your own bamboo tree will eventually spring up to amaze everyone in due course.