The Light Bulb

Once there was a young man who worked at a factory as an apprentice. His mentor, an old technician, taught him to stay focused, contribute as much as he could, and never stop developing his skills in every aspect of the factory’s operation.

Few years later, the old man retired, and the young man became a technician himself. He continued to do his work with the same dedication and diligence as he was taught.

One day, he visited his mentor. The mentor noticed that he seemed unhappy, and asked what was troubling him.

The young man sighed and poured his heart out: “I have been following your instructions exactly all these years. Irrespective of the task I am assigned, I focus on the job and deliver my best. I know I have done good work at the factory, and I have learned all the skills that can be learned there. What I don’t understand is that the guys who don’t have my experience or capabilities have all been promoted, while I am still making as little as I did before, when I was your apprentice.

The old man asked: “Are you positive that your contribution to the factory operations is significant and that you have deep knowledge about each and every aspect of the factory?”

The young man nodded: “Yes.”

The old man paced back and forth to think. After a while, he turned to the young man: “You must request a day off, using whatever reason you like. It’s time for you to give yourself a break.”

The young man was surprised by this advice, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. He thanked his teacher and left quickly to make a time-off request.?

When he returned to work after his day off, the manager called him into the office to tell him that things did not go well at the factory while he was gone.?

Others encountered many problems that normally would be handled by him, and they had no idea how to solve them. Realizing his importance, the manager decided to promote him to the position of senior technician, to thank him and encourage him to keep up the good work.

The young man was grateful for his mentor’s wisdom. Surely, he thought, this was the secret to success!

From that point on, whenever the young man felt like he deserved more than what he was getting, he would take a day off. When he came back the next day, the situation would improve to his satisfaction.

This pattern continued till one day, the young man found that he was blocked from going into the factory. Much to his shock, he found out that his employment was terminated. He could not believe it. Not knowing what else to do, he went back to see his mentor, to try to figure out how things had gone so wrong.?

“Why did I lose my job?” he asked with much wounded pride. “Did I not do everything as you instructed?”

“Actually, you did not, because you heard only half the lesson,” the old man shook his head. “You understood right away that no one pays any attention to a light bulb that is always on. It is only when it goes off that people suddenly take notice and realize they’ve been taking it for granted. You were so eager to apply this understanding that you left before hearing the second half.”

“Second half?” it began to dawn on the young man that perhaps he made a big mistake. “What was the second half?”

The mentor spoke slowly to make his point: “The second half, more important than the first, is the realization that if a light bulb goes off frequently, then sooner or later it will be replaced with one that is more reliable. Who wants a light bulb that no one can count on to provide illumination?”?

One learning that we can derive ?from this story is about the light bulb that is constantly on. Are there colleagues, friends and loved ones in your life who are like the light bulb, always giving light but never really noticed by anyone?

Have you taken them for granted because of their constant support and ?presence?

What if they are no longer there one day?

Let’s not ?wait for such a day to suddenly realize the value of their presence and contribution. Let’s express our appreciation right away for the value they add to our lives. If we can’t do so in person, let’s call them and express our gratitude…or send them a note

Let’s also reflect on how this learning applies to us. Could you be the light bulb that is always on and taken for granted? Could you be the one who has taken full responsibility of not only what is yours to do but also for those around you? Is it time to let go for a bit? Is it time to take a day off?

I think the most powerful lesson I took away ?from this story is the lesson of striking a balance. The young technician started out by learning the lesson about diligence, focus, building knowledge and working hard. Knowing diligence was good he assumed that more of would be even better and he worked so hard that he never took a break.

This story reminded me that the principle of extremes is universal and too much of anything (even if it is good) leads to undesirable experiences. The young technician felt let down, and undervalued. However, what we get to see in real lives is that this is just one of the by-products of giving disproportionate attention to work and ignoring other aspects of our lives.

Also that there is value in helping others realise the value of what we do. There is value in showcasing our work because it helps others understand and appreciate what we do.

The other end of the spectrum (very little attention to work or taking one’s job for granted) also leads to undesirable outcomes – underperforming,?not acquiring adequate professional skills or losing opportunities to grow. For the technician it was the end of his employment.

This story has its origins in the teachings of Tao. The Tao masters had great respect for earning an honest day’s wage but they understood the value of moderation – the right level of diligence required to do a good job for one’s chosen profession. Arriving at the “right level” of diligence to honour our roles in various aspects of our lives helps us experience life in a wholesome way.

The story also teaches the importance of understanding and learning the complete lesson and listening carefully rather than assuming beforehand that we have understood everything. Had the man patiently listened to his mentor, he wouldn’t have applied only half of his advice.

Hope you enjoyed the story.

Would love to hear which insights from the story resonated with you the most.

What are some of the most valuable lessons that you have learnt from your mentors?

This story is by Derek Lin, the award winning and best-selling author in the Tao genre. You could visit his website to read more about him - www.DerekLin.com.