JINO INSIGHTS

A man once lived in the ancient city of Babylon. He was a buyer of animals; mainly camels, horses, and sometimes sheep.

One time he was faced with an opportunity which escaped his grip.

Returning to his city one day after an infutile ten day’s journey in search of camels, he was so angered and disappointed to find the city gates had been closed and locked.

As his slaves spread their tent to spend the night with little food and no water, he was approached by an elderly farmer who like he and his slaves, were locked outside.

Honoured sir, the old man addressed him. From your appearance I can judge you to be a buyer. If that is true, then I would love to sell to you the most excellent flock of sheep just driven up. Alas, my good wife lies very sick with fever. I must return with all haste. Buy my sheep, that my slaves may mount our camels and travel back without delay.

It was so dark that he could not see the flock of sheep, but from the bleating, he knew his word was true. The man was so glad to bargain with him for the sheep given that it had been an unfruitful 10 days’ search for camels. Out of anxiety, the old farmer set a very reasonable price which the buyer indeed accepted to pay so that his slaves could drive the flock into the city gates in the morning and sell at a substantial profit.

When he concluded the bargain, he called out his slaves to get torches and count the flock which were said to be nine hundred. The seller responded, “I shall not burden you my friends with a description of our difficulty in attempting to count so many thirsty, restless, milling sheep”. It was a really difficult task. The buyer however, was so hesitant to make the payment, and bluntly informed the farmer he would count them at day light and pay him then.

The farmer pleaded to receive two thirds of the price in the night and leave his most intelligent and educated slave behind to assist in the counting in the morning because he was trustworthy, and would be the one to receive the balance. But he was still stubborn and refused to make the payment that night.

The next morning before he woke up, the city gates opened and four buyers rushed out in search of flocks. They were eager and willing to pay high price because the city was threatened with siege and food would not be plentiful.

The old farmer received from them nearly 3 times the price he had offered to the man.

Just like that, a golden opportunity was lost. You can tell how much those buyers must have benefited from high prices as a result of food scarcity. How much more would have the man benefited then?

That was the power of procastination. It takes away that which is difficult to find in a life time.

What is the moral of the story? Great opportunities are often lost because of procrastination. Opportunity does not wait for a slow man. A man who desires luck should step quick and grab it, beacuse it’s not there to stay. Never should you ever procrastinate if you are looking for lady luck to shine it’s fortune on you.

Adopted from the “The Richest Man in Babylon”