Just one more try — like the kingfisher

The late Eugene Peterson, an author and pastor best known for creating the Message translation of the Bible, often talked about sitting on the deck of his house in Montana, which overlooked a beautiful lake.

He grew to love watching the birds land and soar in the trees nearby. In particular, he would revel in how the kingfisher would dive into the water for its prey. For those unfamiliar, the kingfisher is a colorful, sparrow-sized bird that features a long beak. The bird feeds mainly on fish, which they can actually see under the water with their unique eyesight.

One day, Peterson was watching a kingfisher trying to catch its prey, and he actually counted the number of attempts. It took the bird 37 tries to finally catch a fish.

“Seriously. It took 37 tries,” Peterson recalled in amazement. “And he’s the KINGfisher.”

So, if you’re feeling like giving up today, here’s a question for you: How many times have YOU tried?

If you REALLY want something, keep going. You may not get it on the first attempt. Or the 20th attempt, Or even the 30th. Your breakthrough may actually come much later — just like the kingfisher.

And it will be so worth it. Maybe even 37 times sweeter than doing it on the first try.