Looking for the horse?

I came across a story that I want to share with you. It's about a very rich and wealthy man living a comfortable life in India. But he was bored.
He went to a spiritual Master and asked him what he should do to find happiness.
The Master answered:  “if you trust me, come back tonight and bring me all you possess. I will then show you the way to happiness”. 
It thus happened. The man sold all his possessions for diamonds, put the diamonds in a bag and took this to the Master.
Full of anticipation he looked at the Master.....
The Master didn't hesitate a second, took the bag and ran away. The man couldn't catch him and stayed behind in tears. He was desperate.
After a short while the Master returned and handed him his bag with diamonds. The man was again in tears, but this time out of joy, having back what had bored him that same morning.
The Master looked at him and asked: “have you found happiness?”

Reading the story I had to think of a Dutch expression “Hij zoekt naar het paard en zit erop”. Literally translated as “He is looking for his horse and he is sitting on its back”, meaning “He can't see for looking”.

I come across many people looking for horses they are sitting on.
I meet executives who go externally to find talent they could have found in their own organization.
They bring in consultants who tell them what their own people could have (and probably already have) told them if they would be willing to listen.
I meet people who are bored in their role.
Who think the grass is greener in other organizations and who decide to pursue their aspirations or ambitions elsewhere.
Not recognizing the opportunities in their current company.
Often people don't seem to see a solution that's almost staring them in the face.

Somehow it seems to be difficult to appreciate and value the elements of life that we are used to.
We take them for granted and we may even get bored with them.

I think it's worth spending time to consciously reflect on what it is we take for granted. 
To bring back the feeling we had when we didn't take these things for granted yet.

www.marjonoosterhout.com
Passion for talent