Once, there lived a boy in a town. One day, he came to visit his grandfather during his summer holidays. He used to play with his grandpa all the time. One day he said to his grandpa, “Grandpa, when I grow up, I want to become a successful man. Can you tell me some ways to be successful?” Grandpa nodded and took the boy with him to a nearby nursery. From the nursery, his grandpa bought two small plants and came back home. Then he planted one plant in a pot and kept it inside the house, and planted the other plant outside the house.
“What do you think, which of these two plants will grow better in the future?” Grandfather asked the boy. The boy kept thinking for some time and then said, “The plant inside the house will grow better because it is safe from every danger, while the plant outside is at risk of many things like strong sunlight, storms, rain, and animals.” Grandfather smiled and said, “Let us see what happens in the future.”
After that, the boy left from there. After four years, the boy came to visit his grandfather again. When the boy saw his grandfather, he asked him, “Grandpa, last time I asked you a question on how to be successful in life, but you did not tell me anything. But this time you have to tell me.” Grandfather smiled and said, “Sure, but first let us take a look at the plants that we bought a few years back.”
Saying this, grandfather took the boy to the place where he had planted the small plant in a pot. They saw that the small plant had turned into a big plant. Then he took the boy to look at the plant which they had planted outside. They saw that a big tree had grown out of a small plant, its branches spread far and wide, providing shade to passersby.
Now grandfather looked at the boy and asked, “Tell me, which plant grew more? Which is more successful?” The boy replied, “The one we planted outside.” “But Grandpa, how is this possible? That plant must have faced so many dangers, still, it grew so big.” Grandfather smiled and said, “Yes, the plant outside had to face many things, but dealing with problems had its benefits too. The plant outside had the freedom to spread its roots as much as it wanted. Problems like storms and heavy rain made its roots even stronger. Today, it is so strong that a small storm cannot cause any harm to it. While the plant we planted inside remained small and weak because it did not withstand the heavy storms, rain, and strong sunlight.”
Then grandfather looked at his grandson and said, “My son, always remember that unless you struggle in life, unless you go through difficulties, you too will not be able to achieve success in your life. If you make comfortable choices, you will not be able to grow as much. And if you are ready to struggle and go through difficulties, then no goal is impossible for you to achieve. Therefore, never think of problems as hurdles but think of them as stepping stones towards success.”
The boy took a long breath and started looking at the tree. The words of his grandfather were echoing in his mind. Obstacles, which we consider as enemies in our life, the same obstacles make us stronger and more successful in our life.
If we see in our lives, then we will find that often in our lives, we have to face challenges and difficulties, due to which many times we get disappointed and lose the courage to move forward. But the story of two plants teaches us not to be intimidated by challenges but to embrace them as an opportunity to learn and grow. Like a plant that was planted outside had to face natural calamities, but with this, it also had the freedom to spread its roots and grow stronger, thus transforming into a strong and giant tree. But the plant that was planted inside was saved from natural calamities, but it remained small and weak.
From this, we get to learn that the more difficulties and challenges we face in our life, the more the path of success will open for us. It teaches us that we should not be afraid to take risks and step outside our comfort zones. When we face challenges, we have the opportunity to learn and grow stronger. We can also develop the resilience and determination that are essential to success. Of course, overcoming all challenges is not easy. There will be times when we feel defeated or discouraged, but it is important to remember that these are only temporary setbacks. If we learn from them and keep moving forward, we will eventually overcome any challenges that come our way.
So the next time you face a challenge or a difficult time in your life, don’t give up. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn and grow. And always remember that the challenges you face today can make you stronger and more successful tomorrow.