Will power and ability

This is about a small anecdote about Buddha I read yesterday in Hindi. Buddha on realizing the miseries available in life tried various methods physical and meta-physical to arrive at the solution to life's problems. He was at one point exhausted and started back to home. En route he became thirsty and had a drink from a Big river. After that Buddha took a rest in the river banks when he noticed a small squirrel splashing water from the spring on to the banks. The squirrel kept on doing this. Buddha became inquisitive on seeing this action. He went and asked the squirrel what it was doing. The squirrel replied that the river had swollen in the rains and killed all its Kids and destroyed its nest and she was now taking revenge on the river by emptying her. Buddha laughed and said with your efforts it will take many generations for drying the river and your lifetime is also small. The Squirrel replied whether i'm successful or not in my efforts I'll make a dedicated effort and I'm not worried about the result(an example of extraordinary will power).
On hearing this Buddha realized that he also was more tuned towards attaining enlightenment than putting the required effort. Then he once again returned to his penance and attained enlightenment.
Thus goes the story but what's there in it for us?

My idea is many of (y)our good tasks may go unrewarded today but we should not stop doing them. Our focus should be on our deed rather than on the result. Too philosophical isn't it but there is an element of practicality in it too, since Expectations create anxiety. The task may be beyond your ability but we should always apply ourselves with will power.