Thursday 30 May 2013

The Most Boring, And Most Powerful, Spiritual Habit

There is something you can do that can transform the planet. Do this, and the mountains will leap out of your way when they see you coming. It isn't hard, it doesn't take a lot of skill or genius, and doesn't even take a lot of faith.

The catch: it's such a very deeply boring thing to write about. Seriously, it's like a blogger's death-wish to discuss it. So, if I really want to get you to read this article, I'll wait a bit to tell you what it is.

Instead, I'll give you an example of someone who uses this incredible power and has already transformed the landscape of the planet. This guy:



He started when he was 16 years old, planting seeds on a barren beach. The forest department of India told him nothing would grow there. He knew nothing about plants or how ecosystems work.

Then he went to work. Every day, learning a little, planting a little. He found out that ants were a big help when it comes to aerating the soil, and so he transplanted some. Soon, a forest grew teeming with life and growth in what was once considered a wasteland.

From the article on Mother Nature Network:
Soon the shadeless sandbar was transformed into a self-functioning environment where a menagerie of creatures could dwell. The forest, called the Molai woods, now serves as a safe haven for numerous birds, deer, rhinos, tigers and elephants — species increasingly at risk from habitat loss.
Incredible results. So, how does a kid with no resources, training, or support from other people single-handedly build a huge forest?

Constancy.

Ok, this is the part where you are moving your mouse to the "X" in the corner. I get it. Constancy is possibly the most boring word in the English language. It's about being reliable, consistent, and enduring. It's about making a decision and sticking to it.

And in this case, it's about moving things in the right direction, in some small material way, every single day. All of those little movements add up, and soon you'll look back and see that you've done something that seems completely impossible for a human to achieve.

You can plant an entire forest teeming with life. You can build the city of your dreams. You can feed thousands, or turn a community of suspicion and doubt into one of support and joy, or change yourself into a happy and energetic individual.

All it takes is a little constancy: focused effort every single day. Changing the world isn't hard, it's just kind of boring.

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