Don't Let Fear Ring Louder Than Your Potential
Don't Let Fear Ring Louder Than Your Potential
Students standing at the threshold of college often find themselves gripped by anxiety — a quiet dread about what lies ahead. Yet, scattered among us are those rare individuals who seem to move through uncertainty with remarkable calm. What sets them apart? To explore that question, consider this story.
A king, old and without an heir, had long searched for his kingdom for someone worthy carrying on his legacy. After years of fruitless searching, he arrived at an unusual solution. In the heart of his capital, he installed a great bell and issued a proclamation: whoever rang it would be crowned king — but only for two years. When that time expired, they would be escorted deep into a vast, untamed forest, teeming wild animals, and left there alone.
The condition was chilling. For months, the bell stood silent. The throne dangled its promise of wealth, power, and glory, but the shadow of what came after kept every hand from reaching the rope. Fear, it seemed, had won.
Then one morning, a beggar walked into the square and rang the bell.
The crowd stood in stunned silence. He was brought swiftly before the king, who questioned him — once, twice, and again — making certain the man grasped exactly what he had agreed to. Each time, the beggar smiled and nodded, entirely at ease.
The following day, he was crowned. As time passed, the kingdom grew in prosperity, and the people became happier than ever under the rule of the new king. Everyone admired his wisdom and calmness. However, people constantly wondered how he was able to remain so calm and steady despite knowing about his impending doom.
As the final day started approaching, the people became anxious for him. Some pitied him, while others could not understand how he continued to smile without fear. Many asked him if he was truly okay with what awaited him in the forest, yet he never once showed any sign of anxiety or fear.
The day before he was to be taken away, the minister went to the king and said respectfully, “Sir, please be ready at eight in the morning tomorrow. We will escort you to the forest.” He simply smiled and nodded. The next morning, the king and his entourage left the palace and journeyed through the city. The people gathered along the roads, extremely anxious and saddened to see a good ruler leave.
They crossed a river and finally reached the edge of the forest. There, the minister ordered two soldiers to leave the king deep inside before turning back toward the kingdom. As they journeyed further in, they saw that surprisingly, the forest was gone. In its place stood a prosperous city, even more grand and magnificent than the one they had left behind. The land which was once dangerous had been transformed into a thriving capital city for the kingdom having all the amenities one could want. Grand buildings lined up the street, people moved in and out of bustling marketplaces, there were beautiful gardens and parks, and more.
Astonished and not knowing what to do, the two soldiers escorted the king back to the kingdom. They approached the old ruler and informed him of the situation. When he questioned the new king about how all this happened, he answered, “My only objective for the past two years was to rule the kingdom in a just, fair manner. My intention in creating the other city was just to make something greater than what is already here.”
What had happened was during the two years of his rule, the new king had slowly removed stretches of the forest and built a city in its place by engaging a group of people who worked quietly without the rest of the kingdom getting to know what is taking place. Everyone was astonished by his foresight and wisdom. When the ministers and people later also learned the truth, they realized that he was truly a wise and far-sighted ruler. Filled with admiration, the old king brought him back to the palace and reinstated him as the permanent ruler of the kingdom.
Just as the king did not get anxious about his impending fate and instead figured out a way to turn the situation positive, students should not allow the fear or uncertainty they have regarding the future to take over their natural skillsets and competencies.
Don't Let Fear Ring Louder Than Your Potential
Students standing at the threshold of college often find themselves gripped by anxiety — a quiet dread about what lies ahead. Yet, scattered among us are those rare individuals who seem to move through uncertainty with remarkable calm. What sets them apart? To explore that question, consider this story.
A king, old and without an heir, had long searched for his kingdom for someone worthy carrying on his legacy. After years of fruitless searching, he arrived at an unusual solution. In the heart of his capital, he installed a great bell and issued a proclamation: whoever rang it would be crowned king — but only for two years. When that time expired, they would be escorted deep into a vast, untamed forest, teeming wild animals, and left there alone.
The condition was chilling. For months, the bell stood silent. The throne dangled its promise of wealth, power, and glory, but the shadow of what came after kept every hand from reaching the rope. Fear, it seemed, had won.
Then one morning, a beggar walked into the square and rang the bell.
The crowd stood in stunned silence. He was brought swiftly before the king, who questioned him — once, twice, and again — making certain the man grasped exactly what he had agreed to. Each time, the beggar smiled and nodded, entirely at ease.
The following day, he was crowned. As time passed, the kingdom grew in prosperity, and the people became happier than ever under the rule of the new king. Everyone admired his wisdom and calmness. However, people constantly wondered how he was able to remain so calm and steady despite knowing about his impending doom.
As the final day started approaching, the people became anxious for him. Some pitied him, while others could not understand how he continued to smile without fear. Many asked him if he was truly okay with what awaited him in the forest, yet he never once showed any sign of anxiety or fear.
The day before he was to be taken away, the minister went to the king and said respectfully, “Sir, please be ready at eight in the morning tomorrow. We will escort you to the forest.” He simply smiled and nodded. The next morning, the king and his entourage left the palace and journeyed through the city. The people gathered along the roads, extremely anxious and saddened to see a good ruler leave.
They crossed a river and finally reached the edge of the forest. There, the minister ordered two soldiers to leave the king deep inside before turning back toward the kingdom. As they journeyed further in, they saw that surprisingly, the forest was gone. In its place stood a prosperous city, even more grand and magnificent than the one they had left behind. The land which was once dangerous had been transformed into a thriving capital city for the kingdom having all the amenities one could want. Grand buildings lined up the street, people moved in and out of bustling marketplaces, there were beautiful gardens and parks, and more.
Astonished and not knowing what to do, the two soldiers escorted the king back to the kingdom. They approached the old ruler and informed him of the situation. When he questioned the new king about how all this happened, he answered, “My only objective for the past two years was to rule the kingdom in a just, fair manner. My intention in creating the other city was just to make something greater than what is already here.”
What had happened was during the two years of his rule, the new king had slowly removed stretches of the forest and built a city in its place by engaging a group of people who worked quietly without the rest of the kingdom getting to know what is taking place. Everyone was astonished by his foresight and wisdom. When the ministers and people later also learned the truth, they realized that he was truly a wise and far-sighted ruler. Filled with admiration, the old king brought him back to the palace and reinstated him as the permanent ruler of the kingdom.
Just as the king did not get anxious about his impending fate and instead figured out a way to turn the situation positive, students should not allow the fear or uncertainty they have regarding the future to take over their natural skillsets and competencies.