The Parable of the Well Digger: A Story of Personal Success
The journey of success is like the story of a man digging a well.
In the beginning, the work is light and the company is plenty. He’s just getting started, close to the surface, visible to others. Friends pass by, stop to chat, offer encouragement, and maybe even help shovel out the sand. The atmosphere is cheerful. The road ahead feels exciting, even easy. But as he digs deeper, things begin to change. The people around him are still there, but fewer engage. He can still see them and hear them if he lifts his head, but he's no longer within easy reach. The deeper he goes, the less help he receives. Some friends leave to pursue other things. The sun is rising, and life calls people away.
Now, he hears voices from above, some encouraging, some critical, but he can’t see their faces. He is no longer part of the crowd. He is focused, alone, and the noise becomes distant. Eventually, he digs so deep that he neither hears nor sees anyone. Silence.
No cheers. No support. No financial help. No extra hands. Just him. His tools. And the will to keep digging. At this point, life doesn’t pause for his process. Bills pile up. Calls come in, responsibilities he didn’t sign up for. People beckon him:
"Come help here,"
"You need to pay that,"
"Your family needs you,"
"Come out, just for a while."
The pressure is real. The temptation to leave the well is strong. After all, he hasn’t even found water yet.
But if he stays…
If he keeps digging…
If he holds on through the isolation, the pressure, and the unseen work…
Then one day, he strikes water.
And everything changes. People gather around once more, this time not out of curiosity, but celebration. They raise their glasses, offer their applause, and sing his praises. Not because they saw the lonely nights, the doubts, or the dust… But because the well finally brought water.
Not All Wells Are the Same
But here’s something even more important: Not everyone starts digging from the same kind of ground.
Some people are digging through hard, rocky land, dry, untouched, and full of resistance. For them, every inch of progress takes immense strength. Others are working on fallowed soil, or perhaps even well-tilled ground, prepared ahead of time, maybe by parents, mentors, or relatives. Some people come from backgrounds where the digging has already been done for them, they just need to strike a few more times to reach water. And a few are born where the water already flows; inheritance, legacy, privilege, or early exposure placed them near the finish line from the start.
This is why comparing your process to someone else’s is a distraction.
Your deepest point may be another person’s starting level. Some have been figuring it out for decades, while others seem to rise quickly. But in the end, we all want the same thing: to strike water, to be successful, fulfilled, and at peace with our journey.
The Lessons in the Digging
This story mirrors life.
In the beginning, you have attention, encouragement, maybe even gifts and applause. As you progress, the path narrows. Your focus sharpens. The crowd thins. Eventually, it’s just you and the work. The grind. The loneliness. The silence. And then, life starts calling you to abandon your process for more "urgent" things.But if you keep digging, if you endure, if you remain faithful to the process… You will reach your water, your breakthrough, your success, your moment. And when that happens, every shovel of sand you moved, every lonely hour, every unanswered call, and every sacrifice will count. It will be worth it.
One Last Thing
The well you’re digging might be deeper than you expected. The noise might be gone. The hands that once helped may be few. And others may have reached their water while you’re still pulling out rocks. But none of that means you’re failing. It means you’re still digging.
So keep digging.
Stay the course.
Your water is ahead.
This story and lessons came from my interaction with one of my mentors, Adeolu Timothy. He has platforms, where he tells several other mind-shifting and life changing principle. I'm dropping the link to his whatsapp channel and his youtube page. This is me not being selfish 😂, do well to join