Dear Friends,

There was once a spring that ran dry in a small mountain village. There was another spring about a mile away but was too far for the villagers to travel. One of the men volunteered to solve the problem by carrying water into the village himself each morning for a set fee. The leaders agreed to the offer and determined a fair price for each bucket of water delivered.  

Early the next morning the “bucker carrier” arose and began transporting water. It was hard work but he was pleased with the immediate pay for his efforts. The more he delivered, higher the pay. Soon, he began to design buckets that could hold more water and were easier to carry. He bought better shoes and discovered a quicker route.  

If you think this is a motivational story with the moral hard work pays, you are mistaken! Read on… 

Some time later, another villager came forward with an offer to supply water. He planned to build a pipeline from the reservoir to the village. The leaders were skeptical but finally agreed. So while the bucket carrier continued his daily routine, the second man began work on the pipeline. The digging was tedious and the materials costly but finally the “pipeline builder” installed the last piece of pipe. Everyone cheered as they watched clean water flow into the village just by the opening of a valve at the end of the pipeline! 

The following day the two men’s worlds changed dramatically. The bucket carrier had to lower his prices to remain competitive, yet had to work harder and worried about losing his job. The pipeline builder however, began enjoying the income his venture generated. Also, the pipeline required minimal maintenance and he was free to spend the rest of his days enjoying with his family.  

A spark of innovation and initiative can achieve what days of toil and hard work based on laboured logic may not! 

Thanks

Vayjanthi