Tweet

Catching Flies with Chopsticks

Written by: Jim Bouchard

Article Overview: One of the best scenes in martial arts cinema features the hero, Mr. Miyagi, practicing with chopsticks to catch a house fly. Of course, he’s never actually caught one, but he keep trying! (If you think Daniel is the hero of this movie, don’t read any further!)

Catching Flies with Chopsticks

Ever see the iconic movie “Karate Kid?”

One of the best scenes in martial arts cinema features the hero, Mr. Miyagi, practicing with chopsticks to catch a house fly. Of course, he’s never actually caught one, but he keep trying! (If you think Daniel is the hero of this movie, don’t read any further!)

As an entrepreneur, haven’t you felt this way at times? You create a set of goals, these are your flies. You click away with your chopsticks running ads, attending networking groups; you join trade organizations, read the right books and journals and even do the dreaded cold-calls. Click, click, click with your chopsticks but the flies keep buzzing around just out of reach.

Am I the only one who ever feels this way?

Will I ever catch the fly? Doesn’t matter!

With every click of those chopsticks I improve focus and timing. Just the fact that I’m trying and taking action improves my sense of discipline and perseverance. Even if I catch one, I’m not going to eat the fly!

You’re after bigger game. It’s not the catching of the fly that’s important, it’s the constant effort. Perfection is not a destination, but a never-ending process and everything you do with positive and focused effort is part of that process.

Ultimately success is not a lottery prize. Most prizes are lost as easily as they’re won. Lasting success is the process of perfection and is ultimately the culmination of countless smaller steps. Success is about the person you are creating in yourself. Every time you miss that fly you’re coming closer to realizing success.

Material success is important; it’s not the most important type of success. No matter how great your material resources are, they can be lost. The successful person you create of yourself is always immune to complete Failure. A successful person knows how to get up once knocked down and knows how to succeed even after a fall.

That’s easy for me to say, right? Well, I’ve been practicing for a long time and I still haven’t caught the fly. I’ve taken my lumps in the ring and in the business arena. I’m sure I’m going to take a few more. I’m not going to stop trying to catch those flies; are you?

Related Articles
  Design Process - Concept Development
  Saving birds using ether?!
  Why Your Enterprise Needs Brilliant Tailor-Made Video Advertising in YOUR venue
  There was a Fly in the soup!!! But they kept the customer
  Asa Candler Quotes

Article Tags: arts cinema, chopsticks, cold calls, culmination, discipline, entrepreneur, flies, hero, karate kid, lottery prize, martial arts, material resources, material success, mr miyagi, networking groups, perseverance, prizes, right books, smaller steps, trade organizations



Related Forum Posts


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

How Promotional Caps became a Fashion Trend

Unharnessing Creativity in Business

How to choose your executive coach -1

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.