Are You Standing on an Acre of Diamonds?

Facts fade. Stories stick.

There’s a story I recently revisited that stopped me in my tracks.

A farmer in Africa heard about the discovery of diamonds across the continent. Dreaming of wealth, he sold his farm and set off in search of treasure. He spent years wandering, digging, and chasing riches. But he never found what he was looking for. Eventually, broke and defeated, he threw himself into a river and drowned.

Back at the farm he had sold, the new owner picked up a strange-looking rock from a stream and placed it on his mantle. One day, a guest saw it and nearly collapsed in shock. It was one of the largest diamonds ever discovered.

That farm turned out to be the Kimberley Diamond Mine, the richest the world has ever known. The original farmer had been standing on acres of diamonds the entire time. He just didn’t realize it.

Dr. Russell Conwell, the founder of Temple University, made this story famous. He ended it with a simple truth: Before you search for greener pastures, take time to develop the ground beneath your feet.

Think about it. So many marriages today end in divorce. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 40 to 50 percent of first marriages fail. But here’s the surprising part. Around 60 to 67 percent of second marriages fail too, and that number jumps to nearly 73 percent for third marriages.

Sometimes, what starts as a search for something better ends up worse. That doesn’t mean there aren’t valid reasons to leave a marriage, or that second marriages can't succeed. But often, what you’re really looking for is already around you, in your current relationships, your work, or your life.

You just have to see it and invest in it.

Don’t overlook your acre of diamonds. Water it. Work it. And watch what grows.

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