The Power of Single-Minded Concentration
An archer who was proud of his deadly accuracy challenged an elderly Zen master to an archery contest. The young man drew his bow, struck the exact center of a distant bullseye on his first attempt, and then split that arrow with his second shot!
"See if you can match that, Master!" he boasted arrogantly.
The Zen master smiled silently and motioned for the young archer to follow him up a steep mountain path. They arrived at a deep, terrifying abyss crossed only by a single narrow, rotten log suspended over a thousand-foot drop.
Stepping calmly onto the middle of the flimsy log above the roaring gorge, the master turned, drew his bow smoothly, and shot an arrow cleanly into a distant cedar tree across the chasm.
Stepping back safely to solid ground, the master said gently: "Now, young friend, your turn."
The young archer looked down into the dizzying abyss and froze in panic. He took two trembling steps onto the log, his hands shook violently, and he dropped his bow in sheer terror.