A friend recently shared a story about the Chinese bamboo tree with me. I am so inspired by this remarkable tree that this blog post is centred around its uniqueness. While most trees grow steadily over a period of years, the Chinese bamboo tree doesn’t break through the ground for the first four years. But in the fifth year, something spectacular happens – the tree begins to grow at an incredibly fast rate. In fact, within a period of just five weeks, a Chinese bamboo tree can grow to a height of 90 feet. It’s almost as if you can see the tree growing before your very eyes.
I am going to relate the Chinese bamboo tree journey to our personal finance journey. With so much going on at the moment - inflation, rising prices, global economic downturn, etc, many are discouraged and feeling the pinch on their finances. Q1 of the year 2022 went quick as a flash, with many wondering where they are on their personal finance journey. Just like the Chinese bamboo tree, many are working tirelessly on their financial goals with no visible signs of progress. My encouraging message to you today is ‘NEVER GIVE UP’! No matter how tough your financial situation is, if you don't waver in faith, you will make it. The pace may seem slower, the progress may seem sluggish, but ANY PROGRESS IS GOOD PROGRESS.
The growers of the Chinese bamboo tree never gave up. They have faith that if they keep watering and fertilising the ground, the tree will break through; and the tree eventually did. I encourage you to have the same kind of faith with your finances - keep watering and fertilising your financial goals, keep the momentum going with your monthly savings, keep paying off your debt, keep the positivity flowing with your side hustle, keep the optimism with your retirement investing, etc. Be consistent in making small incremental progress. “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” ― Vince Lombardi.
About Nike
Oyenike Adetoye (aka Nike) is an impactful speaker, author, and personal finance expert. A Chartered Management Accountant by profession. Nike is the founder and CEO of LifTED Finance, a private financial firm that educates, coaches and supports people on their journey through financial fitness and wealth management.