The Bamboo Story

Have a little Patience

Whenever I think of the phrase, “Have a little patience” I always have the  song “ Patience” by the group Take That ringing around in my head. Although their lyrics are about lost love (I just googled them), this blog is about patience in life and more importantly making change and growing a business.

The Year of Change

 This year, 2020, has meant massive change for so many, my list could go on forever. For me the change has been in career. I didn’t start this year off, thinking this year would be any different to the last, (apart from turning 50).

I had no intention of changing career, but it happened.

I don’t know when I EVER would have been brave enough to leave a 25- year stable career in teaching, but 2020 was to be the year, the year of making that change.

 Inevitably change is not always easy and setting up a business is harder than I ever imagined. I had visions that once my website was live that my phone would start ringing. It didn’t.

I tried day by day to not take it personally, the only calls I got in the first month were wrong numbers and bogus calls from the Inland Revenue, saying if I didn’t pay my non-existent tax bill, I would go to jail. I must admit I laughed out loud at that automated message!

 I am slowly building up relationships with others, networking and attending meetings. I feel that in a relatively short space of time, I am now seen by my family and friends as a full time mindset coach not a teacher, It has always been in me, forever, it was just finally believing it was something that I could actually do for a living.

I have barely had a full night’s sleep since I started, waking up at 3am, writing down ideas, some days bursting to get out of bed to do research. I haven’t felt this level of enthusiasm ever before in my work life.

 A little downhearted of late and the latest lockdown, my options as an Aldi cashier were on the rise. I felt embarrassed that when I spoke to friends I had no real news, then last week I listened to a podcast by The Mindset Mentor, Rob Dial, which changed everything for me. It was this story.

The Story of the Bamboo Plant

When a bamboo seed is planted and watered, nurtured and cared for, after one whole year, there is no visible growth. The soil looks the same. No change.

In the second year, the soil is watered and the sun shines and still, nothing, no change.

In the third and fourth years the same amount of nurturing and care is needed in the hope that all this effort will one day prove worthwhile, but there is still nothing popping its head out of the soil.

 By year five …. Boom! The plant shoots out from the soil, growing up to 80ft in five weeks!  So fast is its growth, it has been said that certain species can grow up to 1 inch every 40 minutes.

So whilst all the years there is nothing, why then, does it take so long?

Developing and growing a strong, unseen foundation, in which to stay supported, through different weather conditions and reaching such heights without being blown away, is imperative to its survival.

This story in the podcast was related to business, whist month after month, we might not see any great change, we are slowly building up the foundations of something that is strong and stable.

It is with this knowledge, and listening to others, that has really made me realise that things really do take time.

 There is rarely the case of an overnight success. You hear people on the radio being given that accolade, to which their response is often:

“Yes, I am an overnight success, if you include that taking four years, writing songs and playing gigs to one person”

 So, to all those that are starting up in business, or even making small changes in your life, although we live in a world of instant gratification, we must understand that things take time. Changing habits, creating new ones, all takes work and diligence.

 To anyone reading this who has listened to me complain about how long everything is taking, please remind of this blog that I once wrote.

 If you wish to get in contact with me about any of the subjects discussed here, or you just want to say hello, click here.

 With love and gratitude,

Siân