The Secret of the Bee
Success requires many talents and skills. To achieve the goals you want to achieve is going to require to use what I am about to talk about in this edition of your newsletter - the subject of CREATIVITY.
Maxwell Maltz said it well, when he said,
Creativity is not just about making up things. Creativity can be also be a crucial ingredient in how you choose to use your persistent muscle.
Some time ago I read the story of the fly and the bee. You may know the story.
It starts with both the fly and the bee trapped in a bottle with the bottom facing the awaiting light.
The catch is that neither of them has been informed of the opening at the other end.
The fly, which has an unwavering persistence and knows clearly what it wants (to get out into the light), begins to tirelessly pursue its path through the end of the bottle. Over and over again the fly bangs its little head against the glass. Its effort, whilst admirable, is futile.
No matter how long this fly attempts to burst through the glass to where freedom awaits, its fate is sealed.
For the rest of its life it will persist, but all to no avail. Our friend the fly will persist in the face of failure until the day he dies.
Our friend the bee however has a different plan. Fixated on the same goal, the bee with its superior thinking capacity has his own strategy...
The bee first heads straight for the light. Not one to give up on a first attempt, the bee will try until he realises this is not a viable option. What the bee does here is simple and something the fly doesn't have the capacity to consider.
The bee changes direction and attempts a different path.
Whilst it is not the most direct route, what choice does he have? In order to achieve his goal of freedom, the bee realises there is no other way.
Bit by bit, the bee will bang his head on the side of the bottle gradually working his way around the bottle until an opening is found. This tiny opening of opportunity becomes his freedom.
The story, whilst simple can serve as a unique metaphor for life. The bottle is life. The fly and the bee in their most basic form represent the different type of people on this planet.
The exceptions I would like to make are these...
One, we all have the capacity of the bee.
Two, we live in a bottle that will never have a lid.
You are all aware that the underlying message here is about creativity. Regardless of what it is you want out of life, with just a little bit of creativity you can achieve anything.
There is no lid on your existence. There is no lid on your dreams.
If you are not where you want to be, then maybe you haven't been creative enough yet. There is always a way.
Any human has the ability to shift their thinking 180 degrees and go another direction. The question is not in your ability, it's your willingness.
If your approach isn't working with people then maybe you should try a new approach.
Persistence can be dumb if you are using the wrong plan. Tap into a little creativity and try something new. Stay persistent with your goals but be flexible about how you arrive at the final destination.
Creativity mixed with persistence can be a potent combination. Stay aware of the right mix for yourself and you will find the results you seek.
