“The difference between a strong man and a weak one is that the former does not give up after a defeat.”
- Woodrow Wilson
This story is a favorite from chapter six in Chasing Influence, Resilience: A Little Past Splat!
For anyone leading a team or interested in leading a book discussion, now would be a great time to order books. There is a free book discussion guide available here.
A Little Past Splat
A cartoonist inspired a widely told story about a man who comes to a crossroads and sees a wise sage sitting by the road. The traveler, looking to improve his life, asks the guru, “Which way is success?” Without hesitation, the wise teacher points to the fork on his left. Heeding the advice of the wise old man, the traveler eagerly heads down the path toward what he believes will be certain success. Then, from a distance, the guru hears a loud SPLAT!
Tattered, limping, and dazed, the visibly shaken man reappears at the fork in the road. Thinking he must have taken a wrong turn, he once again asks the same question and the wise old man silently points the traveler back down the same path. With some trepidation, the man once again sets his sights down the path toward success. This time there's an even louder, more painful-sounding SPLAAAAT in the distance.
Sometime later the traveler returns, bloody, broken, and angry. He yells at the older gentleman, “I asked you which way is success. I followed your directions and both times you sent me to get splattered! No more pointing … now tell me … which way to success?!”
After listening to the angry traveler shouting, the guru finally spoke while pointing in the same direction. “Success is that way,” he said quietly, “just a little past SPLAT.”
“If you're going through hell, keep going.”
- Winston Churchill
Connecting this quote to the story. The story of the man and the wise sage shows us how success often requires enduring adversity and overcoming obstacles. When faced with challenges or setbacks, it is important to keep pushing forward, even if the path ahead may be difficult or painful.
This week’s Chasing Influence tip: Don’t practice simply to perform a skill. Practice until you can’t not perform the skill!
If you enjoyed this story, a series of three Chasing Influence workbooks is available. Stories are accompanied by discussion questions and answers. Each workbook contains 33 lessons to use with any team.
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©Troy Urdahl, 2024