Challenging Your Limits
Here’s an interesting experiment to try at home. Get an aquarium and divide it into two with a clear glass wall. On one side, place a barracuda (let’s call him Barry) and on the other side, a mullet. Barracudas eat mullet, so Barry will see the mullet and think it’s breakfast. He will charge at the mullet and hit the glass wall, then turn around and try again. Over days and weeks, Barry will learn that chasing the mullet results in pain, so he will stop trying.
Eventually, you can remove the clear glass divider. What do you think will happen? Barry will stay on his side of the tank for the rest of his life, swimming in circles, and will even starve with food right next to him. Barry believes he knows his limits. If interviewed, Barry would insist he knows what he can’t do.
Overcoming False Beliefs
This story is actually about us, humans too. We don’t hit glass walls, but we encounter parents, teachers, and others who tell us things like:
- You can’t draw
- You’re not musical
- You can’t dance
- You’re not management material
And we believe them. The truth is, with a bit more information and support, we could do much better. Examine what you think are your limitations and ask yourself if they might just be crazy beliefs like Barry’s. Change your belief, change your life.
