It is said that the Chinese Bamboo Tree takes 5 years and 90 days to grow, it doesn't break ground for the first 5 years and then grows 90 feet in the next 90 days.

It is an excellent natural description of the need to persevere and work at your goals even when you can't see the end, it is quite often called the growth curve that travels along straight for many years then begins to turn up. Gradually curves up and then shoots straight up and looks like an over night success, but no it was all the hard work prior, all the books read, all the work shops and late nights, all the diligence and perseverance to getting the job done never loosing sight of the end.

 

Process of Growth