zerotomillion

I don’t remember where I first heard this story, if anyone knows where it came from, please drop me a comment so that I can site the author.  Nevertheless, this is a story that I heard once, and it make so much sense.  Anytime you are trying to build anything, most things are 70% Design and 30% implementation.  When you begin to think of your 10K muse, you would do well to remember this story, and spend as much time on Design as you do your implementation.

There was an Indian chief that was very old and very sick. He was very concerned because he knew that he was dying. He feared that because he had no children to inherit his title his village would soon be thrown into a civil battle. There were two men in the tribe that both thought they should succeed the old chief. One man was a warrior name Crazy Bear and one man was known for his fairness, his name was Smiling Wolf.

The old chief, being wise, called a meeting with both men. He asked both men if they thought they were worthy to be chief. Both men shook there head yes and both began making claims that the other was not the correct man to be the next chief. This concerned the old chief. He knew that if he chose one of the men the other would not be happy and it could lead to a rebellion.

The old chief looked at both men and asked if they would agree to a contest to see who was truly worthy of being the next chief. Both men agreed that a contest would be a great way to solve the issue. The chief then made each man promise that if they lost the contest – the looser would follow the winner, and both men agreed.

The chief then announced the rules of the contest to the entire village. Each man would be given three months to bring water from a nearby river to the village. At the end of three months the man that had the most water for the village would be the next chief. At the news the entire village immediately broke into two groups. One urged Crazy Bear to begin gathering all of the pots in the village. That way he would have all the containers that could carry water. He followed the advice of his supporters and he then began making the trek to the river. It was not long and he had gathered more water than the all of the containers could hold so he and his supporters began making larger containers.

Meanwhile, Smiling Wolf went to his tee pee. He asked his wife if she would take there two children to her mothers tee pee for a few days so he could think. He then lifted all the furs off of tee pee floor exposing the dirt and sand. And there he sat for several days, thinking and drawing in the dirt. It was not long until his supporters came to his tee pee with great concern. Crazy Bear had already filled three large cisterns of water and Smiling Wolf had not even began.

Smiling Wolf simply smiled and asked his supporters to believe in him and everything would turn out as it should. After several days Smiling Wolf emerged from his tee pee and half the village was waiting outside when he emerged. They rushed over to him, saying “What have you been doing? Crazy Bear already has five cisterns filled with water. We beg you… Please! Let us help you and maybe we can catch up.” Smiling Wolf simply smiled – saying don’t worry we have plenty of time.  Now please be patient a little longer,  I need to take a walk in the woods.

His supporters were in disbelief. Many of them began to wonder if they had misplaced there faith in Smiling Wolf.
A few hours later, Smiling Wolf returned from the woods dragging a large tree trunk. Everyone now began to think that Smiling Wolf was crazy, but because they had chosen to follow him they were resigned to the fact that they would not help Crazy Bear.

Smiling Wolf pulled the log over in front of his tee pee and began carving out the log like a canoe. Again his supporters came to him, begging him to focus on the water, this was no time to build a canoe. This time smiling Wolf addressed the entire village. “I know that everyone is concerned that I have not began carrying water to the village, but I ask each of you to believe in me, and if any man would like to help please go to the forest and drag back one log just like this one.” He then pointed to the log that he was carving. He then spoke again. “And any woman or child that believes in me – I ask that you carve the middle of these logs out just like I have done to this one.”

None of Smiling Wolfs supporters understood what he was doing, but they loved him for his fairness so they all agreed to help. The men began cutting and draging logs out of the forest and the woman and children began carving out the middle of the logs.  After several weeks of this same routine, Smiling Wolf’s supporters began grumbling again. This time the suporters approached Snow Fox, Smiling Wolf’s wife; they were very concerned, there was only one week left and Crazy bear had over twenty cisterns of water, how on earth was Smiling Wolf going to win the contest now?

At this news even Snow Fox was beginning to get nervous. She went to her husband trying to convey the concerns of his followers while at the same time being supportive. “Honey, I know that you are very smart and you know what you are doing but I just want to remind you – we only have one week left.” She said.

He nodded, “You are right it is time that I made an announcement.” he said. So he called all of his supporters together. Thank you very much for all of your hard work he said. We only have one week left and now I need your help even more. At this all of the supporters looked at him like he was crazy. He simply smiled. I promise I am not crazy and yes I still believe I can win the contest. I need everyone to begin fastening logs togeather like this.

He then pointed to two logs he had fastened togeather end to end. He pointed to a large group of what must have been thirty empty cisterns. I want to begin fastening logs togeather at this point and begin moving toward the river. Again he added, I know it is an unusaul request, but please believe in me and I promise everything will turn out as it should.

On the morning of the last day, Crazy Bear began boasting that he had won the contest, that Smiling Wolf had no water – that the contest should end. Smiling Wolf reminded everyone that he had until sunset of that day. At noon on the last day, the entire village followed Smiling Wolf to the river as he carried the last log himself. The entire village watched as Smiling Wolf drug the final log into the river and pointed the mouth of the log up river. The water began flowing into the first log and then into the next log and then into the next log.

The entire village began running along the logs watching the water run from the river all the way to the village. Smiling Wolfs cisterns began filling. By the end of the day Smiling Wolf had filled thirety cisterns of water. Everyone in the village was fascinated with the logs and even the supporters of Crazy Bear seemed to be in awe of Smiling Wolf.

At sunset the old chief came out of his tee pee and watched the villagers swarm Smiling Wolf with praise. The old chief smiled to himself. He knew now that he did not even need to make an announcement. Everyone in the village had silently agreed that Smiling Wold would be the next chief.

Also read: How to make 10K per month without working?