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Doing Extraordinary Things!
I'm a huge fan of Zig Ziglar and I have learned many powerful lessons from him through the years. One lesson I learned from Zig is that, if we are not careful, we can be programmed for mediocrity. He tells two stories that illustrate this point. One is about fleas and the other is about elephants.
Let's talk about the fleas first. If you put fleas in a shallow container (one they can ordinarily jump out of), they will jump like crazy trying to get out of the container. If you then put a lid on the container, they will jump for awhile but stop after they continue to bump their little flea heads on the lid. You can then take the lid off and the fleas will not jump out. The fleas will simply jump to the "imaginary lid" but no higher. That's right, they are letting limitations from their past keep them from doing extraordinary things - like achieving their freedom by jumping out of the container. In other words, they have been programmed for mediocrity.
Elephants don't appear to be much brighter. While they do have a much larger brain, they are programmed just as easily. To train a baby elephant, the handler puts a rope around the elephants neck and ties it to a sturdy pole. After pulling on the pole for awhile, the baby elephant finally gives up as he realizes he cannot move the pole. As the elephant grows into a massive adult, he can still be held in place with a small rope tied to a (less than sturdy) pole. Even though the elephant could easily rip the pole out of the ground, he believes his limitations from the past will continue to limit his future. He too has been programmed for mediocrity.
Now before we are too judgmental of the fleas and elephants, let's take a long hard look at ourselves. Are we subject to this same programming for mediocrity? In many ways I believe the answer is a resounding yes. As children we are taught to "color inside the lines" and as we mature into adults we are taught to "play it safe and avoid risk".
According to surveys, over 80% of the workforce are in jobs they hate. However, the risk of starting their own business or pursuing their ideal career is just too great. As a result many stay shackled in their own little prison of mediocrity. Worse yet, some may have tried and failed and then adopted the limiting belief that they are a failure - and that anything they try is bound to fail. Just like the fleas, they soon quit attempting anything extraordinary.
What limiting beliefs are holding you back from achieving extraordinary things? How have you been programmed for mediocrity?
My challenge and encouragement to you for this week is to choose one limiting belief that you know is currently holding you back. Maybe it's that you "are not smart enough" or "don't deserve a better job" or "you are too old to start your own business" or "it's impossible to make money in this economy". Begin to shatter that belief by carefully examining the faulty premise it is based on.
Next, take an inventory of your passions and gifts and talents. Write them down. If you are unsure of your passions, gifts, and talents take the DISC assessment that we utilize at Born To Win. Begin to see how these assets can assist you in breaking through your limiting belief to achieve your goal or dream. You were created by an extraordinary God to do extraordinary things.
Finally, take action! Choose a single action step that will launch you in the direction of your dreams. You will find that taking action will help to crush your limiting belief forever. Take that first step now. You mike, were created to do extraordinary things! Now go do them!
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