The Bamboo Effect Explained
Nothing makes for a better story than an entrepreneur’s overnight success. The world is filled with seemingly overnight entrepreneurial success stories and we are secretly all aspiring to this. The reality however is that there is no such thing as an overnight success.
Grow like a bamboo
According to the World Genius Record Association, bamboo is the world’s fastest-growing plant at a rate of up to 91 cm in only one day. Phenomenal? Maybe. The truth is that the bamboo plant takes up to 5 years to sprout! It takes 5 years of beneath-the-surface work before the miracle growth occurs.
The Start of an Overnight Success as an Entrepreneur
As with a bamboo plant, the world seldom sees the hard work and dedication that has been done for years before someone becomes an ‘overnight success’. James Clear writes in his book Atomic Habits about the Valley of Disappointment. When we start a new habit we expect linear growth. This is the part where most people give up. We live in a world where instant is king. Promising instant results can earn you a fortune. We take diet pills because we want to skip the slog of changing our bad diet rituals, not the mention the thought of getting up at 04:30 to fit in exercise before a busy day at the office.
The Tipping Point
I still remember my late dad saying ‘If it was easy, everyone would do it. ‘Malcolm Gladwell writes in his award-winning book The Tipping Point, that it takes only one small progression to change your world forever. This fits in perfectly with what James Clear professes in Atomic Habits. Habits often appear to make no difference until you cross a critical threshold and unlock a new level of performance.
the world seldom sees the hard work and dedication that has been done for years before someone becomes an overnight success
Fall in love with the process to become an overnight success as an entrepreneur
If you can work your mind around the frustration of not seeing progress, you are well on your way to that magical overnight success awaiting you somewhere in the near future. Get yourself to fall in love with the process, rather than delaying your happiness until you achieve overnight success as an entrepreneur. Remind yourself that the outside world only sees the dramatic event and that this is true for every single human being on earth.
Willpower is counterproductive
Do you need copious amounts of willpower to break through this plateau? Joseph Murphy, the author of The Power of the Subconscious Mind, believes that using willpower is counterproductive. His theory revolves around the fact that miracles will happen if you use the power of your subconscious mind. It’s all about reprogramming your mind.
Planting the Seed
Every success story starts with planting the seed. Believe in your process without expecting overnight growth. In fact, expect not to see any progress. Expect those who started the journey with you to fall by the wayside. Keep on watering your invincible bamboo plant.
Five years might seem like an eternity at the time, but before you know it, your hope of a bamboo growth spurt will unfold before your eyes into the overnight success as an entrepreneur.
It will never be easy
As a business coach and brand builder, I deal with clients who are constantly discouraged when that overnight success does not happen. Or when all your efforts seem to be in vain. On a personal basis, I deal with the same struggles. As do all other entrepreneurs. This is one of the reasons why we produce the podcast series Expedition Business‘. Stories of the highs and lows of our entrepreneurs and how they manage to get themselves through the Valley of Disappointment. We are also here to help through support to our entrepreneurs on a group basis or AddVenture for one-on-one coaching & brand building. Get in contact. It is our mission to help you become an ‘overnight success as an entrepreneur’.
