There was once a beaver that had nothing to do. He watched
others around him working hard, and yet lacked the knowledge and self-assurance
to take initiative. He sat day after day wondering what he should do. He felt
that others expected him to contribute, but his self-doubt made him sit that
much longer. Other beavers were busily working at constructing their homes and
had to continually ask The Busy Beaver to move out of the way. The Busy Beaver
began to feel like a burden to the other beavers, rather than a help. As a
result, he decided to at least look busy. In this way others would think that
he was doing something, even though he continued to lack the knowledge of what
to do and how to do it. And so, the Busy Beaver indeed became the busy beaver.
He rushed around for hours in a day doing anything and everything to appear
busy. He picked up sticks and moved them from one pile to the next; when they
were moved he would begin to move them back again to the original pile. Day
after day, he engaged in this same busy behavior hoping to figure out what to
do next. He resigned from the day feeling just as exhausted as the others. Yet,
he felt unfulfilled. He learned to do
without making a contribution. He learned how to fill up his time, without
feeling accomplished, or knowledgeable. He learned how to be busy
without being productive. Months turned into years, and little had changed to
bring fulfillment. On occasion, The Busy Beaver would find something different
to do, but eventually grew tired of that, too.
What could The Busy Beaver do differently that would truly
make a difference?
The Busy Beaver would
benefit from first letting go of the illusions that prevent him from actually
feeling self-assured. In this story, the Busy Beaver could (not should as that
is a perceived expectation of others) directly ask another Beaver to
demonstrate what to do, so as to learn the skills necessary to do it himself.
To learn a new skill, and then to master
the skill, builds knowledge and self-confidence. Self-doubt is transformed into
self-confidence. Once a skill is learned, it is always known. Therefore, a
person or beaver as the case may be, can instruct others how to do it. In providing a service to others, thereby
making a contribution to the greater whole, one feels accomplished and
fulfilled.
The Moral of the
Story: Stop wasting time looking busy and being busy to avoid developing the skills and knowledge to
make a difference. Being busy is exhausting and unproductive. Making a
difference feels good!
