It surprised me that the ant analogy was one of the most profound things I connected with in the book that I’m reading called 9 Things You Simply Must Do to Succeed in Love and Life.
What I loved about the ant analogy is that it’s something that we can all apply to every day with so many of the big dreams in our lives.
The author, Dr. Henry Cloud, shared how when he was overwhelmed with this dissertation, he didn’t know where to start. Actually finishing it is the one thing that impedes many students from completing their PhD. He took his concern to prayer and was eventually led to this bible verse from Proverbs 6:6-8.
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provision in summer and gathers its food at harvest.He believed that it was his turn to learn something from the ants if he was to make this dream, something that seems so overwhelming, a reality. He actually bought an ant farm. At first he shared how it didn’t seem like the ants did anything. Soon he saw how their steadfastness paid off. The ants, one at a time, taking one grain of sand at a time, made an entire ant city filled with a complex network of tunnels.
Had any of the ants thought, how can one ant taking one grain of sand at a time, make a difference? If it did, the task would have been too daunting. Instead each ant worked hard, doing its part in making their amazing city.
The same analogy we can use for our dreams, these daunting tasks that divinely inspire and drive us. If we only focus on the end goal, the outcome will seem impossible and we’ll never move forward. However, if we focus on the one step, the next piece of grain of sand for us to pick up, it seems something that is possible.
This is becoming a reality for me with a dream I’m pursuing around a book. I’m working on the manuscript and it’s incredibly daunting. As I work on it, it gets bigger and bigger, more complicated and more complicated.
Yet I’m taking the ant approach with it. What is the next thing I need to do? As I do that, the next grain is revealed to me. It is shared from the book God Calling Journal that this is how God reveals his visions for our lives, one step at a time. Doing so requires us to rely on faith and doesn’t overwhelm us.
So the next time you see an ant, see the incredible life lessons it can teach you along the way to making your dreams a reality.
Janae Bower is an inspirational speaker, award-winning author and training consultant. She founded Finding IT, a company that specializes in personal and professional development getting to the heart of what matters most. She started Project GratOtude, a movement to increase gratitude in people’s lives.