Build a garden
Why I stopped chasing butterflies and started taking care of my garden.
A few weeks ago I was introduced to this quote: "Build a garden and the butterflies will come." For an instant I just thought it was another quote, but thinking more about it, I could see the real meaning.
You can chase a butterfly, but you'll never catch it. The harder you go after it, the further it gets from you. But by building your garden, you can attract the butterflies, because you are the one who takes care of the garden: you plant what you want, and the soil, the water, everything is under your control.
The garden is your work, your habits, the things you study and build every day. The butterflies are the opportunities, the people, the recognition. You can't force them to show up, but you can make your place worth visiting.
It takes time, and in the beginning it looks like nothing is happening. You are just planting seeds and watering the soil. But if you keep taking care of it, one day you look around and the garden is full of colors.
So, instead of running after the butterflies, I'm going to focus on my garden, and you can do the same.