The More Accomplished a Person Is, the More They Embrace “Deep-Well Thinking”
Many people have heard of the “10,000-Hour Rule,” which suggests that to become an expert in a particular field, a person needs at least 10,000 hours of practice. In other words, if you work eight hours a day, five days a week, it will take at least five years to become an expert in a particular field. If you devote three hours a day to effective learning, accumulating more than 1,000 hours a year, you may become a highly skilled professional in that field after ten years.
Success does not come from grand declarations but from persistent, down-to-earth effort and unwavering perseverance. An indispensable part of this process is the self-discipline practiced day after day.
The renowned French thinker and writer Romain Rolland once said, “Rather than spending a great deal of time and energy digging many shallow wells, it is better to devote the same time and energy to digging one deep well.”
Learning to settle one’s mind, remain focused, and cultivate deep expertise in one’s chosen field is among the rarest and most valuable abilities a person can possess.
What Romain Rolland described is essentially “deep-well thinking.” Imagine digging a well in search of water. If you give up and move to another location every time you fail to find water, you may end up digging many shallow wells without ever reaching a water source. Would it not be better to concentrate your efforts on digging one well, persevering until you finally reach water?
After all, everyone’s time and energy are limited. If you want to achieve success in a particular area, you must commit yourself to that field, cultivate your expertise, and strive to become an expert. You should not constantly imagine that the grass is greener elsewhere, nor should you be halfhearted in your efforts or give up easily. Only by thoroughly understanding the essence of what we do can we develop genuine confidence, accumulate substantial knowledge and ability, and eventually achieve remarkable results.
Yet many people today are too restless and impatient. Whatever they attempt, they hesitate, worry excessively about what lies ahead, and constantly doubt themselves. They are unwilling to put in the necessary effort, and as a result, many things remain unfinished or unsuccessful. They confine themselves to a narrow world of their own making, accomplish little, and ultimately complain about the unfairness of society rather than reflecting upon their own shortcomings.
There is no such thing as a free lunch, nor is there any success that comes without effort. Every meaningful achievement must be earned through one’s own hard work and perseverance.
Zeng Guofan, a prominent figure of the late Qing Dynasty, taught his children that three qualities are essential to learning: first, aspiration; second, knowledge and insight; and third, perseverance.
We can apply this principle to our daily lives as well. Once we have established a clear goal, we should act with determination, remain firm in our convictions, and persevere in our efforts. We will then discover that accomplishing something well is not necessarily as difficult as we once imagined.
Namo H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III imparted in Philosophical Sayings About Worldly Matters:
“No pains, no gains. Hard work never goes unrewarded for it always leads to gains. Pain is gain in disguise.”
This means that all happiness and blessings are obtained through diligent and arduous effort; they do not simply fall from the sky.
To accomplish anything worthwhile, we must strive for it with diligence. Such effort naturally involves fatigue and hardship, and we may even encounter setbacks, difficulties, and suffering along the way. However, as long as we do not retreat, but continue moving forward, overcoming obstacles and striving toward our goals, the hardship we endure will ultimately give rise to the happiness of accomplishment.
This is why the ancients said that blessings arise from hardship. After enduring difficulties, blessings naturally follow.
The phrase “This is perfectly clear” emphasizes that the law of cause and effect is never mistaken. Happiness must be earned through one’s own diligent labor and perseverance. There are absolutely no shortcuts. This is a truth that is perfectly clear and unmistakable.
Indeed, this is precisely what we observe in real life. The famous and accomplished people we see and hear about have all devoted tremendous effort and hard work behind the scenes before achieving success.
Take the American swimmer Michael Phelps, for example. In addition to his natural physical advantages, including his exceptionally long arms and legs, he reportedly trained for eight hours a day throughout the year, maintaining this demanding routine for five or six years. Through such extraordinary dedication, he achieved the remarkable feat of winning eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympic Games.
Similarly, Warren Buffett, widely known as the “Oracle of Omaha,” and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates have devoted countless hours—far exceeding 10,000—to thinking, researching, and putting their knowledge into practice within their respective fields. Combined with their keen market insight and business judgment, these sustained efforts contributed to their extraordinary achievements.
When we understand the saying, “Ten years of sharpening a sword for the moment its brilliance is revealed,” we also come to appreciate the power of concentration, diligent learning, and continuous self-improvement.
As the ancient saying goes:
“Without accumulating small steps, one cannot travel a thousand miles; without gathering small streams, rivers and seas cannot be formed.”
Whatever we aspire to accomplish, as long as we follow the right path and pursue our goals with unwavering determination and persistent effort, we can trust that our time and dedication will not be wasted, and that our achievements will eventually come to fruition.
Written by: Zai Lu Shang
Edited by: Yuese
Link: https://myhappylifestyle.net/2026/10/20/dorjechangbuddhaiii-deep-well-thinking/
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