“Some guys they just give up living, and start dying little by little, piece by piece…”
-Bruce Springsteen, Racing in the Streets
When, in the 1960s, President Eisenhower received, on behalf of the American people, the gift of a rare and stunning white tiger named Mohini, it was housed in a 12’ by 12’ cage at Washington DC zoo. For years this magnificent animal paced her cage continuously walking in the same figure of eight pattern day after day.
Years later a wealthy benefactor created a lush sprawling habitat for Mohini so she could run, stretch, climb and explore. This new habitat resembled more closely the natural surroundings from which she was taken in India. Once released, the expectation was she would run free and explore and thrive in her new environment. Instead, she marked out a 12 by 12’ area near the wall and continued to pace in the same figure of eight pattern.
While the physical bars impeding her freedom had been removed, Mohini was convinced her “place” was just inside a 12’ by 12’ patch. Everything in her mind told her she must stay within these boundaries. She stayed there until she was put down at the age of 20 crippled with arthritis.
What are your self-imposed boundaries?
Mohini’s story demonstrates the classic self-imposed conditioning through which many of us choose to live. We feel hemmed by rules and attitudes that block us from stepping out of our comfort zones. We know our “place” and we dare not rise above our station.
The truth is we can all break from our self-imposed conditioning, if that’s what we want. We can all take one step everyday towards a new and more fulfilling life. For many, the expectation is instant gratification and overnight change. Unfortunately, these people are always disappointed. Change takes time whether at a personal or macro level.
Set small step goals….
What if Mohini had first been introduced to a new 13’by 13’ patch and this was followed by incrementally bigger patches each week? Chances are she would have adapted to these small changes and leveraged this change to make even bigger ones. Within months she would have been roaming her new habitat.
So what’s holding you back now? What are the self-imposed barriers you’ve placed on your own potential? What have you been putting off for years waiting for the time to be right? What one small change could you make to help you step out of your comfort zone? How good would that make you feel?
2022 has just started. It’s a year filled with huge potential as we get on top of the pandemic. Opportunities will present.
Why not set some small goals for yourself to start living to your potential “little by little, piece by piece”?
