From the story of Noah in the Quran and Bible to Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh , humanity has been telling the same dramatic story for thousands of years: the world ends… and a few survive. But here’s the twist: this isn’t just a Middle Eastern idea. In India, Manu is warned of a great flood and builds a boat to preserve life. In ancient Persia, Yima creates a protected sanctuary to survive a deadly winter. In China, Yu the Great doesn’t escape disaster; he solves it, controlling floods through sheer effort and innovation. Travel across the globe, and the pattern continues. Indigenous American stories speak of floods that reset the world, like the tale of Nanabozho recreating land with the help of animals. In Australia, the Rainbow Serpent shapes rivers and landscapes through powerful floods. So why do these stories exist everywhere? Some scholars point to real ancient disasters - massive floods, rising seas, or climate events that left a deep ...
In the bustling town of Qazvin, where wrestlers proudly wore tattoos like badges of honor, a man walked into a bathhouse one day, pretending to be one of them. He wasn’t a wrestler—never lifted a weight heavier than a teacup—but he wanted the world to think otherwise.
“I want a tattoo of a lion,” he declared boldly to the tattoo artist. “Make it fierce and mighty. My zodiac sign is Leo, so use your darkest ink. It should roar strength!”
The artist nodded, prepared his tools, and began his work. But as soon as the needle touched skin, the man flinched and cried out, “Wait—what part are you doing?”
“The tail,” said the artist calmly.
“Leave the tail. Start somewhere else,” the man demanded, clutching his arm.
The artist sighed and moved on. A few piercings later, the man screamed again. “What are you working on now?”
“The ear,” said the artist, visibly annoyed.
“Forget the ear. Do another part!”
By now, the artist’s patience was hanging by a thread. Still, he tried once more. But when the needle touched again, the man howled like a child.
“Which part now?”
“The belly,” the artist muttered.
“No, no! Leave the belly! Why does a lion even need a belly?”
That was the final straw. The tattoo artist threw down his tools in fury. “Enough! How can I make a lion without a tail, an ear, or a belly? Even God didn’t make such a creature!”
And with that, he dragged the man by his collar and threw him out into the cold, half-inked and fully humiliated.
Lessons for the Professional World
1. Everyone wants results, but few want the pain that comes with it.
Just like the man wanted a lion without enduring the sting of the needle, many professionals crave success without struggle. You can’t demand growth and comfort in the same breath.
2. Partial commitment creates incomplete results.
Starting something but backing off when things get hard leaves you with half-baked projects—and a reputation that’s hard to wash off. Either stay the course or don’t start at all.
3. Pain aversion breeds mediocrity.
Growth—whether personal or professional—demands discomfort. Those who flinch at every jab of challenge end up with nothing but stories of what could have been.
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