The Butterfly

An industry friend of mine recently wrote: “Greatness is forged through adversity. It has always been that way.” This comment spawned some conversation regarding the nature of mankind to seek the path of least resistance and thereby circumvent the very obstacles that may strengthen them and allow them to become their best selves. Nonetheless, it is true that we learn the most and become the strongest when we allow ourselves to go THROUGH the challenges that life sends our way. In light of this conversation, I am reminded of the following story:

“A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole. Then it stopped, as if it couldn't go further.”

“So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon. The butterfly emerged easily but it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.”

“The man continued to watch it, expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge and expand enough to support the body. Neither happened! In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around. It was never able to fly.”

“What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand: The restricting cocoon and the struggle required by the butterfly to get through the opening was a way of forcing the fluid from the body into the wings so that it would be ready for flight once that was achieved.”

“Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. Going through life with no obstacles would cripple us. We will not be as strong as we could have been and we would never fly.”

As we look to build our businesses we will most certainly be faced with adversity. You will undoubtedly run into people who tell you “No” and others that will try to undo your dreams. You will have some good days but also many bad. You will find yourself at times wanting to quit. It is at those very times that you should remember the butterfly and recommit yourself to go THROUGH the obstacles that may stand in your way. In going through them you will find your best self on the other side.

Curtis Call
Chief Executive Officer