There’s a story about a Chinese Farmer that changed the way I thought about failure. I’d like to share it with you today.
🧵🧵🧵
🧵🧵🧵
I’m re-writing it in my own words out of my memory, so please forgive me if you’ve heard the story before and I’ve forgotten anything.
Credit: Alan Watts—based on chinese proverb "塞翁失馬" (sai weng shi ma)
The Chinese Farmer
There was once a farmer living in a remote Chinese village in olden times
There was once a farmer living in a remote Chinese village in olden times
One day, the farmer’s horse ran away.
All the neighbors came to the farmer that night and said to him, “Oh no! That’s too bad, isn’t it?”
The farmer smiled and replied, “Maybe, but maybe not.”
The next day, the farmer’s horse came back and brought seven wild horses with it.
Again, the village neighbors came to him, and this time they told him, “Wow, that turned out great, didn’t it?”
The farmer again smiled and replied, “Maybe, maybe not.”
The farmer again smiled and replied, “Maybe, maybe not.”
One day, the farmer’s son was trying to tame one of the wild horses, when it bucked him off.
The farmer’s son broke his leg and became bedridden.
The farmer’s son broke his leg and became bedridden.
Of course, all the neighbors came to the farmer and said, “That’s such bad luck, isn’t it?”
The farmer said, “Maybe, but maybe not so,” again with a smile.
The farmer said, “Maybe, but maybe not so,” again with a smile.
The following morning, the emperor's army came to the village.
The emperor had declared war on neighboring land, and the army needed young men fit to serve in battle.
The emperor had declared war on neighboring land, and the army needed young men fit to serve in battle.
The army recruiters looked at the farmer’s son and saw his broken leg.
They deemed that he was unfit to serve and so he was allowed to stay home.
They deemed that he was unfit to serve and so he was allowed to stay home.
Wouldn’t you know, the village neighbors came to the farmer and told him, “Incredible! It was good luck after all, wasn’t it?”
The farmer paused.
“Maybe,” he said with a smile.
The farmer paused.
“Maybe,” he said with a smile.
The lesson that I got from this story is never to judge the various events that happen in your life too quickly.
You’ll never know if a good thing will come from a bad thing, or if a bad thing will come from a good thing.
You’ll never know if a good thing will come from a bad thing, or if a bad thing will come from a good thing.
Stay even-keeled and do your best in life, and nature will take care of the rest.
Never get too high, never get too low emotionally.
Know that you’re going to experience hundreds of failures in your life.
Never get too high, never get too low emotionally.
Know that you’re going to experience hundreds of failures in your life.
They’re not fatal, and sometimes they can even lead to a good thing.
Remember this: All you can do is all you can do.
Remember this: All you can do is all you can do.
Liked the thread? RT the first tweet so others can also get benefitted.
Follow @thinkschoolbot for more amazing threads.
Follow @thinkschoolbot for more amazing threads.
Loading suggestions...