Once you have planted your bamboo (your vision), your focus must be on the watering and nurturing. Of course everyone wants the bamboo to grow right away but it is really about the nurturing. Like a child on a road trip we ask, "Are we there yet?” The obsession with getting there can be a distraction in itself. A bamboo farmer would never plant a seed and immediately dig it up to see if it is growing. Have you ever noticed that once you get there the “T” falls off? In other words “there” becomes “here”.
To have success you must have the discipline to water without seeing results. There will be many distractions along the way but having patience and discipline to water every day is what will make the ultimate difference.
Steps to Watering
Create a Viable Vivid Vision.
Make your goals specific: effort oriented not results oriented. (Example: Instead of “I will lose one pound today,” rewrite your goal as “I will do 60 minutes of aerobic training today.”)
Have a support system in place. Create a Bamboo Circle of supporters.
Do something every day that gets you closer. Don’t overdo it – it’s water the bamboo NOT drown the bamboo.
“The Bamboo Farmer abandons the idea of immediate results. Be patient with self and others.”
To learn more about being patient while you water your bamboo, read chapter 19, Patience, Persistence, and Perseverance, in Water The Bamboo®: Unleashing The Potential Of Teams And Individuals.