Positive change isn’t a matter of the
will. Rather, it’s a matter of being willing to do whatever it takes.
When I am not willing, no matter how much I say I want to change, it
will not happen. I am only playing a word game, and everyone
understands what I am saying.
The difference between the will and being willing is great. Making my
dreams come true doesn’t require an iron will. I don’t need an
indomitable spirit before I start the journey. I don’t need to spend
years pumping myself up in preparation for the moment that will takes
over, sweeps me off my feet, and carries me to total victory. That is a
fairy tale of the will. No one has a mountain of will that sweeps away
all opposition.
I don’t need a massive will to succeed. I do need a willingness to do
whatever is required to make my dreams happen. Although I don’t have an
iron will, I do have a willingness to work around, go through, over, or
under whatever obstacles get in the way. This is a quiet willingness.
Eloquent speeches of dramatic resolve aren’t part of the script. I
simply get on with the business of living my dreams. Every day I focus
on my purpose and act on my plan, because I am willing to do whatever it
takes to make my dreams come true.
YOU DON'T NEED AN IRON WILL
Once upon a time
there was a man who built his house upon a rock. This was no ordinary
rock; it was a stone pinnacle that rose out of the sea. The rock was
just large enough to accommodate a thatched hut and one large potted
plant.
You might ask why a
person would choose to live in such a difficult and inhospitable
location. After all, he had to carry all his food and drinking water up
on the rock in order to survive.
The real reason he lived there
wasn’t a secret. His job was to spend his days and nights sitting on
his small rock guarding the big rock that was behind him. The big rock
was special because it contained hundreds of swallow’s nests hidden in
the cracks and crevices of the vertical rock wall. Several times each
year they harvest the nests and send them to China where they create a
culinary delicacy called “Bird’s Nest Soup.” The nests are worth more
than their weight in gold. We were told that they are more expensive
than gold on a per ounce basis.
How do you guard a giant rock
that has five million dollars worth of bird’s nests sitting in plain
sight? It’s easier than you might think. The guard has a high powered
automatic rifle to keep thieves at bay. A few rounds of ammunition shot
into the air from his Kalashnikov or AK-47 lets intruders know they
should keep their distance. He doesn’t need a No Trespassing sign to
keep unwanted visitors away. A few bullets ricocheting off the rock
wall usually does the job. If someone would be so foolish as to climb
the rock face, he would be an easy target with a high powered assault
rifle.
As we sailed by the rock on our
yacht, we didn’t see the guard or hear any warning shots. We just kept
a safe distance and satisfied ourselves with only pictures.
How do they
harvest the swallow’s nests on the big rock? The photograph shows the
answer. They use hundreds of bamboo poles to climb the rock wall. They
lash the poles in the cracks and crevices of the rock face leaving the
bamboo scaffolds permanently in place. When harvest time comes, they
risk life and limb on a pilgrimage up the bamboo poles. Harvesting
swallow’s nests is not for the faint of heart. Pregnant ladies and
people with cardiac conditions should avoid this line of work.
Nevertheless, if you are willing to do whatever it takes, there is gold
at the end of each bamboo pole.
The folks who guard and harvest the swallow’s nests
are a lot like you and me. They are living their dreams. Harvesting
bird’s nests on rock walls in Thailand may not be your dream. But
whatever your dream is, there is only one way to make it happen - you
must be willing to do whatever it takes.
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