Shivaji Mohinta
During my morning walk in the park, I see a boy with two Bulldog puppies. After a few rounds, the boy ties one pup to a park bench and leaves the other unbound, but with just the leash attached. But this pup does not move an inch. It remains in the spot till the boy picks up the leash.
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We face similar situations in our life when start thinking that any movement will not yield positive results. We don’t even make an attempt. What holds us back from trying?
# We believe what we see: Here the second puppy is seeing the other one tied up. It perceives that the same situation applies to it as well. We often assume we are in the same boat like the other person with the likelihood of identical end results which deters us to try anything different. We simply accept the situation. We believe what we see, although our circumstances are strikingly different.
# We believe we are in shackles: The untied dog believes it is tied to the park bench but the reality is different. The leash is acting as an impediment. We accept defeat before making an effort. Our mind is clouded and we accept fate and blame destiny for it. The illusion has stopped the puppy and kept it at the same place.
# Limiting belief generates no energy: Had the puppy taken a few steps forward, he would have realised that he is free but he was made to believe he is reined. This limiting thought makes our brain idle and we tend to give up. The subconscious mind feeds the conscious mind that it is not worthwhile to make any effort. We wait for some good luck or outside intervention to help us.
# We believe what was intended: The boy wanted the puppy to believe he has been tied so that he could comfortably sit in the bench. The intended message was delivered successfully. We act in the same manner in which the other person wants us to act. Our behaviour is determined by someone else and not by us. We are a victim of some external controls. We fall into the “conformity trap”.
# We forget that we are the master of our own choices: Human beings have resources and the power to exercise their choices responsibly. We have to make some independent choices after understanding the circumstances. We can make efforts in the right direction to alter the situation but often feel powerless to act. This happens when we become slave to our own perceptions. This stops us from taking the right step forward.
Life presents us with different challenges, whether we are a professional, student, sportsperson or a homemaker. We accept status quo thinking this is the best position to be in for the time being and the efforts will only lead to more pain and rejection. The fear of getting reprimanded, rebuked or ridiculed overpowers us. The fear of failure keeps us stationary. But the choice is ours, whether to change things or accept status quo. Winners tend to overcome such shackles and force the change. After all, everything starts from the mind.
If you can change your perception, you can change your emotion and this can lead to new ideas, as Edward de Bono has said.
The writer is a certified business coach and can be reached at [email protected].
