Koji was a young, eager boy who wished to become a great archer. He sought out a Zen master renowned for his teachings on focus and discipline. Koji arrived at the master’s dojo and asked, “Master, how long will it take me to become a great archer?”

The master replied, “It will take you ten years.”

Impatient and ambitious, Koji said, “What if I work twice as hard as your other students? How long will it take then?”

The master thought for a moment and said, “Twenty years.”

Confused and frustrated, Koji asked, “But what if I dedicate every moment of my life, every bit of my energy, to mastering archery? How long will it take then?”

The master smiled and said, “In that case, it will take you thirty years.”

This answer left Koji disheartened. He said, “The harder I promise to work, the longer it seems to take. Why?”

“The master, in his profound wisdom, replied, ‘When you have one eye fixed on the goal, you have only one eye on the path.’ He paused for a moment, then explained further:

Think of climbing a tree to reach a ripe fruit at the top. If you focus too much on how delicious the fruit will taste, you might lose your grip and fall. But if you concentrate on each step—where to place your hands and feet, how the bark feels, and the fresh air around you—you’ll enjoy the climb and reach the top safely.’”

In life, it’s much the same. If you focus too much on the reward at the end, you might miss the journey itself. Whether you’re learning something new, practicing a skill, or working toward a goal, remember to focus on the effort you put in along the way. Enjoy the process, learn from it, and celebrate every step you take. Sometimes, the true reward lies in the effort itself.

The process is the bridge between you and your goal. The better you take care of the process, the more the goal will take care of itself. It’s like solving a mathematical problem: each step must be done correctly to get the right answer.