Why is it difficult to achieve your goal? Parable: “Arrow and fog”

 

“Master,” a student once asked, “why are there difficulties that prevent us from reaching our goal, deviate us from the chosen path, try to force us to admit our weakness?”

“What you call difficulties,” Master replied, “is actually part of your goal. Stop fighting it. Just think about it, and take it into account when choosing a path. Imagine that you are shooting a bow. The target is far away and you can’t see it because a thick morning mist has fallen on the ground. Are you fighting the fog?

No, you’re waiting for the wind to blow and the fog to clear. Now the target is visible, but the wind deflects the flight of your arrow. Are you fighting the wind? No, you just determine its direction and make adjustments by shooting from a slightly different angle. Your bow is heavy and hard, you do not have enough strength to draw the string. Are you fighting with a bow? No, you train your muscles, each time pulling the bowstring more and more.

“But there are people who shoot from a light and flexible bow in clear, calm weather,” the student said offendedly. Why is it that only my shot meets so many obstacles in its path? Is the World resisting my forward movement?

“Never look at others,” Master smiled. “Everyone has their own bow, their own target and their own time to shoot. Some make it their goal to hit accurately, others – the opportunity to learn how to shoot.

The teacher lowered his voice and leaned towards the student:
“I also want to tell you a terrible secret, my boy. Mist doesn’t fall to the ground to hinder your shot, wind doesn’t start blowing to divert your arrow, a hard bow is not designed by an archer to make you aware of your weakness. All this exists by itself. It was you who decided that you could accurately hit the target under these conditions. Therefore, either stop complaining about difficulties and start shooting, or subdue your pride and choose an easier target for yourself. A target to shoot at point-blank range…