Consistent Action
"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
This quotation reminds me of one of my favorite books, The Man Who Planted Trees,written by Jean Giono. This is a powerful little story, just 50 pages long. In it, Giono tells the story of a lone shepard who takes it upon himself to plant 100 acorns a day in the desolate region of his home. After years and years of faithful devotion, the shepard had planted 100,000 trees, 10,000 of which survived and began to thrive! Because of his efforts, the earth that was once black and charred from the soot of nearby factories is now lush and green, teeming with life. Soon people move back to the area, building homes along the streams that have rejuvenated with life. Children can be seen playing and laughing. Through one man's simple, yet profound act of love, vision, and commitment, the land was reborn.
There's a strong parallel here to the Living Into Greatness 4 step process:
- Awareness
- Acceptance
- Consistent Action
- Authenticity
The shepard was aware of the environmental need in his homeland. He was also aware of what would make him most happy in life. He accepted what he could do about the problem - he could plant 100 acorns a day. He didn't agonize over what he couldn't do, or worry about what he was doing, he chose consistent action to live into his greatness. Lastily, despite growing age, fatigue, and what would have filled many with doubt and boredom, the shepard continued to show up authentically, living the person he was, doing what he could do. The result changed the world.
How are you living today?