If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere. – Frank A. Clark

A story tells of an ancient time when a king placed a boulder on a roadway as a test. After placing the boulder in the road, he hid and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. 

Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and couriers came by and simply walked around it. Many blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the boulder out of the way.

Then, a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where he had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many never understood. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

What do you do with the boulders and challenges you find on your road? How do you handle adversity? What are the consequences of your decisions? Let’s look at some examples from the story.

You can ignore them.

Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and couriers first approached the boulder in the road. Being people of wealth and means, you would think that if they couldn’t move the boulder themselves, at the least, they could pay someone to do it for them. Wrong.

The first group left the boulder right where it was, a convenient representation of their desire not to get involved or be bothered.  Many complained and blamed the king for the poor road conditions.

From a leadership perspective, this was a terrible move, not just because they could have done something about it but also because they passed the burden of the boulder on to the next set of travelers to fix. The wealthy merchants represent self-absorbed leaders who only think of themselves. And now, because of their actions, they leave the problem to someone else.

Leaders, remember that your actions today bear consequences for others tomorrow. You can leave a clear path for others or leave obstacles you find for others to deal with later.

Leadership Insight: Small obstacles you ignore today can become boulders tomorrow. Clear the path not only for yourself but for those who follow you.

Additional Resource: Embracing The Hard Things in Leadership

You can do the heavy lifting and reap the reward.

The peasant comes down the road and finds the same boulder blocking his path. Unable to remove it himself, he recruits some help, and together, they move it.

The peasant in the story represents a servant leadership mindset. He knows that it is in his best interest to move the boulder for his own passage and for those coming behind him. 

In his book, High Road Leadership, John Maxwell writes, “When you do what’s right, you’re not only taking the high road with others. You are taking the high road with yourself.” And this is precisely what the peasant and his helpers did. They took the high road by clearing the road for others to travel.

The happy ending to the story is that the king left a note and a purse filled with gold coins – the reward for the person who moved the boulder from the road. 

While the servant leadership mindset is not about what you get in return for your actions, it demonstrates that good things come to those who put others first. When you take the high road, you make the road better for everyone. Click To Tweet

Leadership Insight: As a leader, be willing to do the heavy lifting – not for the sake of the reward, but because of the joy found in serving others.

On your leadership journey, you will encounter boulders. How you see them—as obstacles or opportunities—will make all the difference.

Additional Resource: The Power of Resistance in Leadership

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson