4 Lessons We Can All Learn From Ants

Observations in nature showed me valuable insight about life and success.

I spent many years gardening and communing with nature. I remember years of frustration dealing with ants in and around the yard.

Prior to my becoming more environmentally-aware, I’d head straight to the local garden center to find the surefire method of eradicating the tiny insects from my yard. Each one always failed. I’d seemingly extinguish one mound, only for it to reappear a couple of days later.

I eventually became more conscious about using toxic chemicals and pondered whether my previous methods were sound. I also became fascinated by the tiny black creatures.

In considering them, I always fell back to the story by Corrie Ten Boom. Ten Boom and her family were imprisoned in concentration camps for hiding Jewish people during the 1940s. During her solitary confinement, she found a friend in a single ant that crawled between the cracks in the floor.

The ant was her lone companion, helping her through the darkest hours of her life. She saw its purpose and through it, she saw her purpose.

Imagine that. Something so many of us views as only a pest, a tiny speck of life force, inspired a woman who lived through horrors most of us can only imagine. It gets you thinking.

When I was out gardening, I never saw the purpose of ants. I just wanted them gone. Oh, I know they have a real purpose out in the yard. If we want to get technical about it, ants turn the soil and aerate it, making it easier for oxygen and water to reach the roots of our plants. And, of course, plants need those to survive.

But, in my view, they were always just a nuisance. Years later, I now realize that we have a lot to learn from ants.

Proverbs 6:6 says “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise”.

The minuscule ant can teach us many lessons that apply to our own lives. Much of those lessons have to do with resilience, finding our purpose, and overcoming adversity to achieve success in life.

The next time you cringe when you see a mound of ants, look to the lessons they provide.

1. Life will knock you down, but you can rise up stronger.

Ants gather by the thousands to establish their mound. The mound has ants of each stage — mature ants, young ones, eggs, larvae, and pupae. The anthill is created by worker ants who dig soil from underground to create a network of galleries. They carefully move dirt to the surface, avoiding stones and anything that isn’t soil.

Ants are quite focused and dedicated in their efforts to get the job done. Mounds are often knocked down. But, they’re persistent little buggers. They’ll rebuild a stronger, larger mound just a few feet away.

Thomas Oppong points out we all have obstacles in life. But, building resilience can help us overcome challenges and turn them into the success we desire.

Life will knock you down. People will knock you down. Circumstances will knock you down.

Giving up is not an option if you want to succeed in life. Persistence can help you rise up stronger and better than you were before.

2. We all matter and we all have a purpose.

The queens of an ant colony are the only ones that can reproduce. The soldier ants defend the colony and protect the queen. Some will also gather food or kill and attack enemies of its colony. Other ants take care of the eggs and baby ants, while others build the mounds.

The point is that every ant in the colony is vital and important for the life of the entire colony. Each has a purpose. The same holds true for humanity. No matter small we seem at times, we all matter.

As Tony Robbins once said: “The real joy in life comes from finding your true purpose and aligning it with what you do every single day.”

We all have a calling in this world. We’re all part of this universe and it’s our job to find our purpose.

It could be something as small as offering encouragement to someone who’s down. It could just be offering kindness with a smile to the waitress who’s been on her feet for eight hours straight and can’t figure out how to make ends meet for the month. It could be something that uses our talents to our best potential.

What each of us does matters, one way or another.

We should always do our best for the greater good.

3. Ants take on missions much bigger than themselves.

Ants have shown me another revelation — they are much stronger than they look. I’ve seen them carrying leaves, crumbs, small twigs, frogs, and even other ants that appeared mortally wounded. In fact, it’s said that ants can carry 10 to 50 times their body weight.

I’m guilty when it comes to taking on more than I think I can. I have huge ambitions and will usually set pretty big goals for myself. And, while it can be overwhelming sometimes, I remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day.

If you want to be successful in life, it’s okay to aim big. The key is to set smaller, more attainable goals that help you get to the larger goals you’ve set for yourself.

After all, even ants take on one challenge at a time, one step at a time, and ultimately accomplish something bigger.

4. Gather your tribe.

If you notice, ants mostly stick together. Ants teach us about community. They live life as a community with each contributing something to accomplish a bigger purpose. If you really dig deeper, you’ll see that the mound wouldn’t stand without the support of the entire colony.

Whenever possible, find your tribe.

Find people who will encourage you, support you, and stick by you no matter what. One of our most intrinsic needs is to feel connected to others. It’s important to remember in this case that quality over quantity matters more.

You could have a hundred people in your tribe, but if they aren’t a positive force in your life and they make more withdrawals than deposits, you need a new tribe. And, that tribe could be just one or two people.

So, what if you realize that you have no true tribe? You’ll need to figure out what you really want in life and create the reality that will help you get it.

You might have to make some difficult decisions. If other people in your life hold you back, you may have to move on and find a new tribe to evolve. Even ants sometimes seek stronger mounds that offer more support.

Ultimately, you are the one writing your life story.

Find people who truly want to be part of your life story and will support it, not weaken it. But, remember this one final thought:

The success of the mound began with one single ant.