Do
you have a comfort zone? You recognize it as a place where you know you
cannot fail, but as you look at the same four walls and go about your
busy work day after day, it seems more like a jail. Many of us stay
inside our comfort zone because it is safe. We go through life feeling
that what we are doing isn’t satisfying our inner needs, but we learn
to rationalize our situation by saying that we don’t care about
getting ahead or accomplishing those dreams we used to have when we were
young. Often we get the urge to break out of our comfort zone and then
find excuses for staying right were we are watching the rest of the
world go by.
The comfort zone "jail" we find ourselves in reminds me of
a type of crab that possesses a particular human trait that causes
thousands of them to be caught every day, even though they are smart
enough to escape any crab trap designed. The trap is a wire cage with a
hole at the top. Bait is placed inside the cage and the cage is lowered
into the water. One crab comes along and enters the cage to take the
bait. A second crab comes along and joins him. Soon after more crabs
come inside, even when the bait is long gone. The crabs could easily
climb up the side of the trap and get out the hole, but instead they
stay in the cage. More and more of them come into the cage to join the
trapped crabs. If one of the crabs realizes there is no further reason
to stay in the trap and attempts to leave, the rest of the crabs gang up
on him and force him to stay. Eventually, the cage is hauled up and the
crabs become someone’s dinner.
How often have you felt like one of those trapped crabs, wanting to
escape your cage only to encounter human crabs who are determined to
hold you back? These human crabs are often disguised as family, friends
and co-workers and they don’t use physical force, but they use
something far more powerful - innuendo, doubt, ridicule, mockery,
sarcasm, scorn, sneering, belittlement, humiliation, jeering, taunting,
teasing, lying and other ways to discourage you from getting out of your
comfort zone to achieve your dreams.
Once upon a time there was a large mountainside where an eagle’s
nest rested. The eagle’s nest contained four large eagle eggs. One day
an earthquake rocked the mountain causing one of the eggs to roll down
the mountain to a chicken farm located in the valley below. The chickens
knew that they must protect and care for the eagle’s egg, so an old
hen volunteered to nurture and raise the large egg. One day the egg
hatched and a beautiful eagle was born. Sadly, however, the eagle was
raised to be a chicken. Soon, the eagle believed he was nothing more
than a chicken. The eagle loved his home and family, but his spirit
cried out for more. While playing a game on the farm one day, the eagle
looked to the skies above and noticed a group of mighty eagles soaring
in the skies. "Oh", the eagle cried, "I wish I could soar
like those birds." The chickens roared with laughter, "You
cannot soar with those birds. You are a chicken and chickens do not
soar."
The eagle continued staring at his real family up above, dreaming
that he could be with them. Each time the eagle would let his dreams be
known, he was told it couldn’t be done. That is what the eagle learned
to believe. The eagle, after time, stopped dreaming and continued to
live his life like a chicken. Finally, after a long life as a chicken,
the eagle passed away.
You are not a crab, nor are you an eagle, but you are what you
believe you are! Follow your dreams. If you want to break away from your
comfort zone, do it! If you have an unfilled dream - go for it! Don’t
listen to others who are caught in the same trap. It is time to get rid
of those excuses and live your dreams.
Have a good week!
