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.

Overcome Tardiness with the Habit of Strict Punctuality

“Promptitude is not only a duty, but also part of good manners. It is favourable to fortune, reputation, influence and usefulness; a little attention and energy will form the habit, so as to make it easy and delightful.”—Charles Simmons

“A stitch in time saves nine,” is a popular proverb that not only illustrates clearly the tangible gains of promptitude but also implies the potential cost of tardiness. That pithy line is perhaps the shortest maxim ever used to convey the worth of punctuality. A step taken on time will keep you from taken nine further steps; that’s about 90% effect on efficiency. Wow! I hope everybody will one day understand this simple math, and when we do, the positive practical implications on a global scale will be humongous.

Punctuality is one quality that is quite important just by itself but if you pause to consider the fact that many people are chronic latecomers and late starters; in fact, this virtue is rather rare among the majority of people. This rarity now makes the issue of being early and on time take on a higher significance across cultures in the world of human affairs and business. 

If you have ever had to wait for other people on a critical appointment, then I think you know the pain of tardy disappointment; and if you have ever lost a job opportunity, a client or business as a result of lateness, I guess you will appreciate the message of this article more than any of my previous publications.

Everyone knows that lateness is neither good for business nor for life, and even the chronic latecomers know it more so. They hate the stress and fret they frequently experience from tardiness as described in the book, “Never Be Late Again,” by Diana DeLonzor. And she also stated that for many habitual latecomers, the habit is ridiculously hard for them to break. In case you are one of them, warm up, because in this article, some practical strategies on how to build the habit of punctuality will be shared.  And if you implement them faithfully, your new you will wish you had read this message sooner than now.

Promptitude is an essential element of character and integrity that is impossible to fake for long. Tell people you are always punctual as much as you want, the reality will come to confirm or disprove your claim one day. People care to listen and see if you believe in what you have told them; that is, whether you actually do it or not. And, if you are consistently punctual, you are fortifying your credibility; that is, people will rely on you with regards to your appointments, which invariably will spill to other areas of duties as well. 

However, the reverse is also true, if you are consistently late, you are gradually destroying your credibility and integrity. But unless you decide to change now, no one will eventually entrust you with serious responsibilities, and I don’t think you want that. So let’s get to the theme of the essay.

The essence of today’s article is for us to realize the critical importance of punctuality and making a decision to always demonstrate that awareness with the power habit of promptitude. The second part of the preceding sentence is not necessarily a fun at the beach because building a habit requires attention and consistency. But by realizing the full significance of this virtue, we can follow our decision through to success, once and for all. Helping you realize that significance is my job right here, right now.

To drive home my point, I have brought for you anecdotes from the lives of two great men of the past from two totally different cultures to illustrate the supreme importance of punctuality. And they are: George Washington of United States and Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran.

Strict Punctuality is The Dominant Common Factor Between George Washington and Imam Khomeini.

On the surface, one may think that these powerful personalities from two completely different cultures could have nothing in common apart from being the founding fathers of their countries’ systems of government. But that assessment couldn’t be further from the truth since promptitude is the key thing that I have found to link both Washington and Khomeini together. 

And I am here to urge you towards that virtue with the anecdotes from their lives. Mind you, the standard of these men was beyond plain punctuality; they truly lived the stern virtue of strict punctuality. And I dare to emulate them to become a powerful force of nature, in your own sphere of influence.

Imam Khomeini

He was the Iranian Shia Muslim religious leader and politician; and the author of more than 40 books. By leading a fierce revolution in 1979, he overthrew 2,500 of Persian monarchy and founded Iran as a new republic. His full biography is beyond the focus of this article, so permit me to dive right into the essence of this piece.

While thinking on how he could successfully lead such a great change, I stumbled upon some of the secrets of his power in how he lived his life. And guess what?  Punctuality stood tall among all other principles he firmly held on to. As written on Wikipedia, Imam Khomeini was known for his scrupulous regard for strict punctuality and predictable pattern of living. You could always predict when he would show-up on his appointments and routines. He would never disappoint you. And you could always count on him.

Read on for a special treat that awaits you from the life of this amazing man of tradition:

"He is so punctual that if he doesn't turn up for lunch at exact time everyone will get worried because…

… his work is regulated in such a way that he turned up for lunch at exactly that time everyday. 

He goes to bed exactly on time. He eats exactly on time. And he wakes up exactly on time."

Ayatollah Khomeini won the private victory long before he became a revolutionary. He was reliable, dependable and steadfast. 

Now the question is, are we?

George Washington

 

George Washington was considered to be the driving force behind the nation’s establishment and came to be known as the father of America from his time right until this very day. 

I also asked myself how Washington could surpass his peers {who were all great men of the time} to become the first President of the America in 1789. Clearly, many virtues contributed to his prominence and success but there was one thing I found that George was characteristically known for. You guessed it. It was punctuality!  George Washington was so fanatical about punctuality that he would never waste anyone’s time by showing-up late on an appointment and he would frankly not tolerate anyone who does. 

Read on for an evidence to prove this in his own life:

One day, Washington disregarded a team of special guests from Congress whom he had invited for a dinner. They were surprised to see that their host was almost done with the meal when they arrived; just few minutes past the fixed time. 

 George Washington candidly responded to them by saying:

“We are punctual here. 

My cook never asks whether the company has arrived but…

…whether the hour has come.”

In other words, never come here late again.

It is obvious to conclude that both Washington and Khomeini achieved greatness because of the habit of stern punctuality above all their other habits of merit. And Lord Nelson, the exceptional leader and British naval officer, made this conclusion plausible when he said:  “I owe all my success in life to having been a quarter of an hour before my time.”

Three Strategies to Adopt for the Habit of Strict Punctuality

1} Decide to Make Punctuality Your Habit

“If I have made an appointment with you, I owe you punctuality. I have no right to throw away your time, if I do my own.”—Richard Cecil

To create a lasting change, start by making a decision. So, make a permanent decision now that you will never be associated with lateness again, ever. If you do this firmly and sincerely, it will cut you off mentally from the act of tardiness, and instantly creates a new mental image of a punctual personality. Then bring this decision alive immediately with a practical action. Book an appointment with someone today and make sure that you keep it.

This can be made easier by remembering the immense benefits of high credibility, effectiveness and reliability. And you will remain true to your decision when you fully realize that lateness is a ruthless thief of greatness just as Italian philosopher and historian Niccolo Machiavelli discovered in his time. He said, “Tardiness often robs us opportunity.”

 

2} Create A Buffer Time, Every Time

“Preparedness and punctuality are the two of the most important qualities of a leader.”—John Andreas Widtsoe

To be unfailingly punctual, create a soft gap or time cushion earlier than the actual time of your appointment. Don’t be too optimistic here but deliberatly create a buffer. Prepare to be held up in traffic, for someone to stop you on the road or for something to go wrong. In my experience, something almost always goes wrong, especially, when you are just starting the habit; so take this seriously. 

Always allocate ample amount of time before the actual time for your event and compel yourself to act by your own buffer time. This is critical! If we allocate a generous time buffer and decisively act by that time ahead of other people; not only are we likely to be on time but also have a higher likelihood to have some downtime to think and relax before our engagement actually begins. Boy, isn’t that a good bonus to have?

3} Activate Your Alarm for Every Appointment.

“Method is the very hinge of business, and there is no method without punctuality.”—Richard Cecil

Create a reminder with an alarm application on your phone for every appointment you have. This will quickly alert you ahead of your engagement so you can start your preparation early enough. Plus the idea is equally helpful when another problem occurs which may consume your attention, and makes you forget. On such a day, this practical tip will save you from having to rush out through the door at the last minute or worse missing your appointment altogether.

Finally, promptitude is about preparation, organization and forethought.  It is the spirit of business and a key element of civility. It is an extremely valuable human quality. And the multibillionaire and founder of Virgin Group, Richard Branson also recognizes its value as he said:

“Being on time is respectful to your hosts and also means you can effectively manage your day.”

No matter how difficult it may seem to you now, committing to making this principle a habit will soon convince you that punctuality is largely the cheapest (easiest) of all great virtues.

Think and Ask the Right Questions

               

“A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.”—Francis Bacon

How does one write for the public when he is not an expert himself? 

Well, the answer is simple; any researcher who can create the time to think and find the right questions to ask can generally get the right answers from the various sources of knowledge available. The entire Socratic philosophy was founded on the power of questioning right. Questions are critical to learning and mastery. So, if we can build the habit of sincerely asking the right questions, we can always attain truth and understanding.

Good thinking is necessary to ask the right questions. And right answers follow the right questions. Just as the author of “The Art of Problem Solving,” Edward Hodnett wrote:

 “If you don't ask the right questions, you don't get the right answers. A question asked in the right way often points to its own answer. Asking questions is the ABC of diagnosis. Only the inquiring mind solves problems.”

Frank Sesno, a former CNN journalist and the author of, "Ask More: The Power of Questions to Open Doors, Uncover Solutions, and Spark Change," notes that a quick-hit and search-engine of today has made many answers very easy to find and widespread. But he strongly points out that as good as that may seem, it also dilutes the hard task of making deeper inquiries and asking the right questions in search for a solution. This fading quality is, according to the English scientist, Francis Bacon, “one-half of wisdom.”

Sesno says we can dismantle any perplexing problems on our path to progress through sensible and careful questions; because he believes insightful enquiries will almost always generate original and valuable answers. In his own words, he asked: 

"What if we went asking for solutions and posed truly creative questions that could change the world?"

Drawing from this, I now ask: “What if you went asking for solutions and posed truly creative questions that could change your life?”

Well, you can! 

If Elon Musk can do it, why can’t you?

Thinking and asking the right and timely question is the real secret of this iconic figure; the man behind Tesla Motors and SpaceX. It is what enables him to get answers that turn apparent pipe dreams into two evolutionary companies. Elon Musk learned early on that anyone can ask questions but not anyone can ask the right questions. In order words, it is quite easy to just ask questions; but quite hard to ask the right ones.

Most people don’t take the time to figure out the most excellent question to ask in any given situation. So they execute on an answer to a wrong question which either palliates the problem or brings up only an average solution instead of a radical kind.

Questioning right is at the core of Musk’s strategy which is also known as reasoning from the first principles. It is perhaps the single most powerful method used by him to breaking down complex puzzles into their most fundamental truths. It is how he generates ingenious answers to age-long problems. 

He questions everything using the first principles by asking questions directed at the most fundamental elements of a problem or a concept. The following words from Elon Musk clearly reveal his exploratory and progressive mentality.

I have included them here because I think they may help you do better in your business and projects. Here they are:

On Supremacy of Questioning Right

“I think that's the single best piece of advice: constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself.”

On Converting Criticism to Good Questions

“Constantly seek criticism. A well thought out critique of what you're doing is as valuable as gold.”

 On Accompanying First Principles with Right Questions

“Don’t just follow the trend. You may have heard me say that it’s good to think in terms of the physics approach of first principles. Which is, rather than reasoning by analogy, you boil things down to the most fundamental truths you can imagine and you reason up from there.”

Elon Musk knows how to think and ask important questions under different circumstances to achieve his objectives; and as a result, he is accomplishing what many people once considered impossible.

 

Like him, successful thinkers simply ask the right questions; and they therefore get better answers than everyone else. An example of that is given by the British philosopher, James Allen when he said: 

“For true success ask yourself these four questions: 

Why? 

Why not? 

Why not me?

Why not now?”

Right questions will spur answers that can change not only one’s life, but also the course of the world’s history. Questioning is definitely a requirement for progress and advancement, whether personally, nationally or globally.

Finally, to be more resourceful, effective and inventive, create the space to think and ask yourself and other appropriate individuals the right questions, every time you encounter a challenge. You can start by listening to the American leadership expert, Jim Rohn’s counsel when he advised:

 “To solve any problem, here are three questions to ask yourself: 

First, what could I do? 

Second, what could I read? 

And third, who could I ask?”

If you can do that properly, then you may be able to solve a puzzle that has bewildered your predecessors for years, decades, or even for centuries.

Just pause to think and then ask the right questions!