Why Give a Damn:
As I wrestle with a job I am constantly unqualified for and pursue “addressing the world’s greatest challenges,” I often feel like I am not up to the task. But I remember a story that 2011 Unreasonable Fellow Luis Duarte told me. And I suddenly feel that, perhaps, I am.
The author of this post, Teju Ravilochan, is co-founder and CEO of the Unreasonable Institute.
A boy and his father were walking through the woods together. They came across a large log, blocking their path. The boy turned to his father and said, “Do you think I can lift this log, Dad?” The father replied, “If you use all your strength, absolutely you can.” The boy rolled up his sleeves, bent his knees, and got his hands under the log. He locked his arms and heaved with every ounce of strength he had. But the log wouldn’t budge. He tried over and over again until at last, exhausted and breathless, he gave up.
Your strength isn’t held by you alone Tweet This Quote
He looked at his dad with disappointment and frustration and said, “You told me I could lift it!” His dad smiled and said gently, “I told you you could lift it if you used all your strength. You didn’t ask me for help.”
So the boy asked his dad to help him and together, they lifted the log out of their path.
Your strength isn’t held by you alone, but also by the people who march alongside you. When you feel unequal to the task in front of you, perhaps it is simply because you aren’t using all your strength.