The Lesson of Recognition and Balance on the Path to Success

Once upon a time, there was a young man employed at a factory. His mentor, an elderly technician, taught him the importance of being productive rather than talkative and continuously develop his skills in all areas of the factory's operations. After ten years, the old man retired and the young man took on the role of a technician, approaching his work with the same dedication and diligence as he had been taught. One day, he visited his mentor, appearing unhappy. The old man noticed this and inquired about his troubles. The young man expressed his frustration, explaining how he followed his mentor's instructions faithfully throughout the years, focusing on his work and staying quiet. Despite his good work and acquired skills, he couldn't understand why less experienced individuals were being promoted while he remained at the same position and salary he had as an apprentice. The old man asked if he had made himself indispensable to the factory, to which the young man affirmed. After pondering for a while, the old man advised the young man to take a day off, using any reason he saw fit, as it was time for him to take a break. Though surprised by the advice initially, the young man found the idea increasingly sensible and expressed gratitude to his teacher before immediately submitting a time-off request. Upon his return to work, he was summoned to the manager's office and informed that things had not gone well in his absence. Many problems had arisen that others couldn't resolve without his expertise. Recognizing his significance, the manager decided to promote him to the position of senior technician to acknowledge his contributions and motivate him to continue excelling. The young man was grateful for his mentor's wisdom and believed he had discovered the secret to success. From that point on, whenever he felt he deserved more, he would take a day off, and upon his return, the situation would improve to his satisfaction. This pattern continued for months until one day, he was denied entry to the factory and discovered that his employment had been terminated. In shock and unsure of what to do next, he sought out his mentor to understand what went wrong. With wounded pride, he asked why he lost his job despite following his mentor's instructions diligently. His mentor informed him that he had misunderstood the whole lesson, as he had only recognized the importance of being noticed when absent. The mentor clarified that the second half of the lesson is even more vital, which is the realization that if a light bulb frequently goes off, it will eventually be replaced with a more reliable one. People don't value a light bulb that is always on, but they do notice when it suddenly goes out. The young man began to comprehend that he had made a grave error by only grasping the first half of the lesson. And so, the mentor advised the young man not to take for granted the presence of friends and family in his life, appreciating them before it's too late. Additionally, he cautioned against allowing oneself to be taken for granted but emphasized the importance of finding a balance in life and persevering through challenges instead of abruptly quitting. By maintaining this balance, life will reward him accordingly. This story serves as motivation to appreciate and value the important people in one's life. Thank you for writing and stay blessed.