Chuan and Jing joined a wholesale company together just shortly after graduating from University. Both worked extremely hard and tried to make a good impression with their boss.

After several years of hard work by both, the boss promoted Jing to sales executive but Chuan remained a sales rep. One day Chuan could no longer take being overlooked and tendered his resignation.  As he did so, he complained to his boss that he did not value hard working staff, and only promoted those who flattered him with false praise.

The boss knew full well that Chuan had indeed worked extremely hard for him for years and did not really want to see him go, but in order to help Chuan realized the difference between him and Jing, he asked Chuan to do the following.

Go and find out if anyone is selling water melon in the market? Chuan quickly returned and happily replied to his boss that there was indeed someone selling water melon in the market. The boss asked how much per kg?

Unsure, Chuan quickly went back to the market to find out for certain and returned to tell his boss that the price for a kilo was $12 flat.  Now, said Chuan's boss, I am going to ask Jing to do exactly the same thing as you have just done to see if he does anything differently do yourself. 

Patiently, they waited as Jing did as was asked from him.  Upon his return, the boss again asked how much a kilo of water melon was selling for in the market. 

Jing quickly replied, only one person is selling water melon boss and he charges $12 per kg, $100 for 10 kg, and has an inventory of 340 melons. He has 58 melons for sale on his table right now and each one weighs around 15 kg.  He buys his water melons from the South and they are all fresh and are of good quality and color.

Chuan was not only impressed by what he has just seen and heard, he also realized for the first time what the difference between himself and Jing was in his boss' eyes.  So much so that he decided against resigning and instead stayed on to learn what ever he could from Jing.

Remember, there is always more to things than first meets the eye. Think ahead and anticipate what comes next rather than simply waiting for it to fall at your feet.  Things just don't happen like that too often.