Lessons Learned from the Persistent Peasant

There is an old story about a king whose people had grown soft and entitled. Dissatisfied with this state of affairs, he wanted to teach them a lesson.  

The plan he devised was simple: He placed a large boulder in the middle of the main road that completely blocked entrance into the city. He then hide nearby and observed the reactions of people.  

He wondered how they would respond? Would they band together to remove it or would they get discouraged, quit, and return home? With growing disappointment, the king watched as person after person came to the rock and turned away. 

At best, a few of the people tried halfheartedly before they gave up. Many openly complained, cursed the king or bemoaned the inconvenience of it all. No one managed to do anything about the rock.  

After several days, a solitary peasant came along on his way into town. He did not turn away. Instead, he strained and strained and tried with all his might to push it out of the way. Then he stepped back and had an idea, “I will hike off into the nearby woods and search for something to use as a lever.” 

Off he went and eventually returned with a large branch that he crafted into a lever. He took the branch and eventually dislodged the massive rock from the road. 

Beneath the rock was a purse of gold coins and a note from the king that read, “The obstacle in the path becomes the path. Never forget, within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.”* 

Your Turn to See Your Obstacles as the Path 

What is sitting on your path? Uncertainty? Fear? Sickness? Financial stress? Lost opportunity? Job layoff? Canceled plans? Disrupted dreams? Broken promises? Anxiety? Hopelessness? 

At this point in our history, the list is long and might feel overwhelming. You might even be tempted to either curl up in a ball or turn around and go back to where you came from instead of find a way forward. It’s normal to complain, curse the king, or bemoan the inconvenience of adverse circumstances. 

What turns complaining, cursing and bemoaning into a deadend street is the inability or unwillingness to work through the negativity and find a new place to stand. 

The underlying lesson in this story is this: 

In order to keep a setback from becoming a permanent drawback is to take a few moments to step back so you can find a new perspective and push back against the obstacle that’s in your way. 

Three Life Lessons Learned from the Persistent Peasant 

1. The way we look at our problems is more important than the size or shape of the problem. 

That may sound like an old rusty cliche but it really isn’t. When we change our perspective, we open up new ways to see our problems that can lead to new solutions that were hidden from our view. 

What problems are you facing that might benefit from a new perspective? 

2. True hope is found when you have an expectation along with new templates, tools, and outside energy. 

The peasant had an expectation to get to town and move the bolder but without the right tools and applied energy, it would have only been wishful thinking. When he found a lever big enough (a tool) and applied all his strength to that lever (outside energy), he was successful in moving the obstacle. 

What does the lever represent in your situation? What or whose energy do you need to provide a push? 

3. There is always opportunity for growth in the midst of challenging circumstances. 

A person sees what they go looking for. If you go out into the world with curiosity and an open mind to learn, it creates the readiness for new ideas, insights, and wisdom to emerge. You may wonder how you will weather this current storm. 

The peasant focused on what he could control — took a walk in the woods — and while on his walk found a solution he was willing to try. 

What new insight or idea could you glean from having a growth mindset even when your options seem few? 

Remember this

“The obstacle in the path becomes the path. Never forget, within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.” 

*Source: The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday​

PS ​Check out this article: 10 Essential Traits to Survive Adversity