When I was a kid, I didn’t get a chance to hear my mother reading me a fairy tale, she had to work for us. But that didn’t stop me to know about tales, especially Indonesian Tales. Indonesia has many kind of tales, such as Ande-Ande Lumut, Bawang Merah Bawang Putih, Jaka Tarub, etc. I read the tales from a book, either the handout book during my elementary or on Bobo, kids’ magazine.
I didn’t want to talk about those tales I’ve mentioned above, instead I want to share a story (I don’t know whether this is considered as a tale or not) that I read when I was working at the bank. The story is about a frog that joining a race. Here it goes:
The frogs were gathered for a race, the race is about getting on top of a tower. Many frogs come and join the race, they were very excited about the race. Some for the price of course. Many others watch the race from the sidewalk, they did not believe the frogs (the small ones) can success climbing the tower and be on top.
“They will not succeed, they can’t climb it. It is hard you know”
“Yes… it is hard, they would fall down, believe me.”
Many negative words were said by the audiences, claiming that they wouldn’t success going to the on the top of the tower. And turned out that it was true. Many frogs fell down. Many were giving up in the middle of the climbing, either due to their exhaustion or perhaps they heard about what audiences said.
But one managed to climb to the top and became the winner. One of the audiences was wondering how come he can manage to go to the top. So he asked the winner how he can manage to go to the top. Apparently, the winner was deaf. He didn’t listen any comments from the audiences.
The story has a really nice value, in my humble opinion, and really applicable to the real world, especially working situation. What we can learn from story of the frog above are:
1. Fight
The tower is what we want to achieve in life, whether in work or in general situation. Our dreams, that is the tower represent in the story. We are not alone in trying to achieve those dreams. We have to fight for it. If it really matters, you will fight till the end. Never giving up for the dreams we have, even there are many challenges we have to face to achieve it.
Fight for your dreams. No matter how hard it could be, never ever giving up.
Please read also: Artikel – Berat Euy
2. Focus
In pursuing our dreams, we will facing many things that seems to be important at that time, but when we look at the big picture, it actually nothing. We have to focus on what we want, plan everything what we need to do to achieve the dreams, and DO IT. Yes, we have to focus. Many distractions will come on your way in pursuing the dreams, but make your mind focus on the dreams will help you achieve them.
Put your dreams 5cm in front of yourself.
Please read: 5 cm
3. Ignorance
Some say that ignorance is a bliss. would you agree? I mean from the story, we are learning that many people will say things that maybe bring your hope down. Making you want to stop doing those things to achieve the dreams you want. Like in the story, the winner is the deaf frog. He didn’t hear anything. Sometime we have to be deaf in order to achieve our dreams. Really, we do.
I want to share about the time when I was applying for a scholarship in one of the biggest bank in Indonesia. Many questioning my choice at that time. They asked me to reconsider it. Asked me to resign from the scholarship program and do things differently. What would my life be if I listened? So yes, sometime we have to be ignorance in order achieving our dreams. But we can’t ignore all those good inputs for us from them though.
Okay, those are the things what we can learn from a story. Perhaps it is not a tale like we asked for the English Friday #16 Challenge from BEC. But I really want to share this good story for all. If you want to join the challenge, please do click on the link above. And I want to share also a blog about Indonesian Tales, you can read many Indonesian tales there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGNG6qxAork