Perseverance story: What life lesson can you learn growing tomatoes

The young apprentice arrived at his mentor’s home for their weekly meeting, hoping for a quick lesson that would lift his spirits. His face carried the weight of disappointment, and the old man, ever perceptive, noticed right away. He remarked that the apprentice seemed troubled. The young man wasted no time in sharing his frustration. He explained that he had been working tirelessly on a project, pouring in effort and dedication, only to see it fail. The results he had hoped for simply had not materialized. The mentor, unshaken by the news, merely shrugged and acknowledged that such things happen. But this response did little to satisfy the apprentice, who protested that after working so hard, he felt he deserved a better outcome. The old man sat in silence for a moment, as if considering his next words carefully. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, he jumped to his feet and beckoned his apprentice to follow him outside. He led him to a corner of the garden, stopping beside a withered tomato plant. He pointed to the lifeless stalk and asked the apprentice what he saw. The apprentice responded that he saw a dead tomato plant. The old man nodded and explained that he had done everything correctly when he planted it. He had watered it regularly, fertilized the soil, and kept it free from weeds. Yet, despite his best efforts, the plant had still withered and died. The apprentice frowned, unsure of the significance of the lesson. 

The mentor then spoke with wisdom that only years of experience could provide. He explained that no matter how much one wished to control the final outcome, some things were simply beyond human influence. All that could be done was to focus on what was within one’s control, to take responsibility for putting in the effort, and to trust that the results would follow in time. The rest, he emphasized, was not in one’s hands. The apprentice absorbed the words but still felt uncertain. If success was never guaranteed, he asked, what was the point? Should he just give up? At this, the old man chuckled and led his student back inside. He said that this very dilemma was what held so many people back from achieving remarkable things. The uncertainty of success often became an excuse to do nothing at all. After all, if one couldn’t be sure of succeeding, why even try? The apprentice, deep in thought, sighed and made his way toward the front door, seemingly unconvinced. But before he could leave, the old man stopped him with a simple request, to grab something from the pantry. Without hesitation, the apprentice opened the pantry door, and what he saw left him stunned. A basket sat before him, overflowing with large, juicy, bright red tomatoes. His eyes widened in surprise. 

The mentor, watching closely, smiled knowingly and explained that not every tomato plant had died. Some had thrived. And that was the point. If one consistently did the right things, made the right choices, put in the effort, and remained persistent then they would dramatically increase their chances of achieving phenomenal results. But if they gave up after one or two failures, they would never have the opportunity to reap any rewards. The apprentice stood in thoughtful silence, letting the lesson sink in. With renewed determination, he left the mentor’s home, ready to return to his work not because success was certain, but because effort was the only path that made it possible.