Ep2: Water the Stick: Staying Faithful When Nothing Seems to Be Working
Watering a Dead Stick: Why You Shouldn’t Give Up on Your Dreams
Years ago, I started a journey with just five people—my wife, my parents, and two close friends. We met in my parents’ basement with nothing but a shared dream and a passion to reach people. It didn’t look like much back then. No hype, no crowds—just heart.
Today, I want to share four powerful ideas that have kept me moving forward—even when progress felt painfully slow. If you're in a season of wondering whether your work matters or if you're tempted to give up, this is for you.
1. Don’t Despise Small Beginnings
When we launched our journey, I expected explosive growth. Instead, it was a slow grind: one person here, one family there. For a long time, it felt like we were stuck.
But here's what I’ve learned: small beginnings are not insignificant. Real growth rarely happens overnight. It happens in quiet, steady, faithful steps.
Look at Metallica—yes, the iconic metal band. They started in 1981 with a simple newspaper ad. It took them over a decade of writing songs, playing small gigs, and facing setbacks before they became a global phenomenon with the Black Album in 1991. From the outside, it looked like overnight success. But behind the scenes? It was ten years of unseen hustle.
If you feel stuck, you’re not alone. But don’t give up. Every small effort counts. Progress is being made, even if it’s under the surface—just like a seed growing roots before it breaks through the soil.
2. Measure the Gain, Not the Gap
I spent years discouraged because I kept comparing where I was to where I thought I should be. I was living in what Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy call “the gap.”
The “gap” is when you measure your current situation against your ideal—where you wish you were. But this mindset breeds frustration.
Instead, live in “the gain.” Measure how far you’ve come from where you started. Even if the progress is small, it’s still progress. And that mindset shift can restore your motivation and renew your joy.
3. Embrace Your Story
In today’s social media world, it’s easy to compare your life to someone else's highlight reel. But comparison kills momentum.
You’re not meant to live someone else’s story. You only get to live yours. And that’s a beautiful thing.
You may be on Chapter 2 while someone else is on Chapter 20. That doesn’t mean your story is less meaningful—it just means you’re still in the early chapters of something powerful.
Honor your pace. Embrace your process. Write your story.
4. Live with Grit
Let me tell you about John and Pombo.
John asked his mentor how to grow closer to God. Pombo handed him a dead stick and said, “Water it every day.” So John did. Every day, for three years, he walked 24 miles round-trip to water a dead stick in the desert.
And then, one day, it sprouted.
That’s grit. That’s passion and perseverance for long-term goals. Grit isn’t talent. It isn’t luck. It’s refusing to quit when the results are invisible. It’s staying faithful even when the progress feels nonexistent.
And if you’re still going—after all the setbacks, the disappointments, the discouragement—that’s grit.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve got a dream, here’s what I want you to take away from this:
🌱 Celebrate your small beginnings. Rejoice in the start.
🛤️ Measure the gain, not the gap. Focus on how far you’ve come.
✍️ Embrace your story. Stop comparing. Start owning.
🔥 Live with grit. Keep showing up, even when it’s hard.
Your harvest is coming. The fruit will show. Keep watering that “dead stick.”
If this resonated with you, do me a favor—leave a review, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and remember:
Stay focused.
Stay disciplined.
Keep sharpening your edge.