The Real Talent

After winning several archery contests, the young and rather boastful
champion challenged a master who was renowned for his skill as an
archer. The young man demonstrated remarkable technical proficiency
when he hit a distant bull's eye on his first try, and then split that
arrow with his second shot.

"There," he said to the old man, "see if you can match that!"
Undisturbed, the master did not draw his bow, but rather motioned for
the young archer to follow him up the mountain. Curious about the old
fellow's intentions, the champion followed him high into the mountain
until they reached a deep chasm spanned by a rather flimsy and shaky
log.

Calmly stepping out onto the middle of the unsteady and certainly
perilous bridge, the old master picked a far away tree as a target,
drew his bow, and fired a clean, direct hit.

"Now it is your turn," he said as he gracefully stepped back onto the
safe ground.

Staring with terror into the seemingly bottomless and beckoning abyss,
the young man could not force himself to step out onto the log, no
less shoot at a target.

"You have much skill with your bow," the master said, sensing his
challenger's predicament, "but you have little skill with the mind
that lets loose the shot."


"The real talent is being able to apply your skills even in the most
adverse situation- without fear, hesitation, or doubt."

No comments:

Post a Comment