It
is easy to excel
A
young man was eager to learn archery.
He
wanted to become the champion archer in the district.
So
he purchased the finest bow and arrows that money could buy.
But
he proved utterly inept; if he aimed at a tree, his arrow might hit a nearby
hedge; if he aimed at a hedge, his arrow might flypast the nose of a nearby
cow.
Eventually
he came to a sage in despair, and asked how he could improve.
The
sage said to him, “Whenever you wish to accomplish something, you must consider
how best to prepare yourself.”
“How
do I prepare for archery?” the young man asked.
“Go
to a local weaver and lie under his loom every day for a month. As the shuttle
passes to and fro in front of your eyes, strive not to blink.”
The
young man did as the sage suggested and returned to the sage and asked, “Am I
now ready to resume archery?”
“No,”
the sage replied. “You must catch a flea each day, and attach it to the hair
from a horse’s tail. As dusk approaches, hang the flea over the window facing
west; and watch the flea with the sun behind it.”
The
young man did this every evening for a month.
He
returned to the sage, and the sage told him he was now ready for archery.
The
young man took his bow with great excitement and found he could hit the target;
he could focus his eyes on it without blinking, and it seemed so large that it
filled his vision.
As
a result, he won every contest.
It
is easy to excel if you have passion, practice and perseverance.
