A flock of crows nested in a dead oak tree near a village. During a bitter winter, the villagers threw away an old, heavy wool blanket into the brush.

An ambitious crow saw the blanket and thought, “This is the ultimate resource. If I drag this to our nest, we will never freeze again.”

The crow flew down, gripped the heavy wool in its beak, and pulled with all its might. It managed to drag the blanket a few inches, but it was too heavy to lift into the air.

Another crow flew down and said, “Let me help you.” Together, they pulled harder, but the blanket caught on thorns and would not move. Soon, five more crows joined, biting the edges, flapping their wings furiously, and exhausting themselves trying to lift the massive cloth.

The Master walking past the field stopped and watched the struggling birds.

The ambitious crow looked up at the master, gasping for air, and asked, “How do we lift this great blanket to save our flock from the cold?”

The Master replied: “You are trying to fly with the ground in your beak. If you want the warmth of the blanket, why don’t you sleep on the earth?”

Upon hearing this, the ambitious crow let go of the blanket, landed softly on top of it, and tucked its wings.

FINAL THOUGHT

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” — Psalm 127:1

Entrepreneurs: Do not waste capital over-engineering a complex product. Give customers the simplest solution immediately.

Investors: Stop pouring capital into a heavy, dying asset. Let go of a bad thesis when reality changes.

When you force a business model or an investment against reality, you are relying soley on your own ego and laboring in vain.

— Early Boykins III