The Elephant and the Rope
The following story is a powerful example of how our mindsets can shape our perceptions.
As a man was passing the elephant, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small thin length of rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at any time, break away from their bonds and become free, but for some reason, they did not.
He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away. “Well,” the trainer said, “when they are very young and much smaller we use the exact same size rope to tie them, but at that age its strong enough to hold them. By the time they have grow up, their minds have become conditioned to believe that no matter how much they try, they will never break the rope. They still believe the rope can hold them, so they never try to break themselves free.”
The man was amazed. These animals could, in an instant, break free from their bonds but because they believed they could not, they were stuck right where they were.
How many times have we believed that we are “stuck right where we are”? We believe there is no way out of a certain situation or circumstance. We can’t see beyond our mindset, to envision a different outcome or possibility.
If you need help in learning how to change your mindset or in altering your perception on a situation, contact us for a consultation on how we might help.