Losing is a Learned Behavior
January 12, 2010 | Posted by Roshawn Watson under Uncategorized |
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The brilliant leadership coach John C. Maxwell wrote in his book “25 Ways to Win With People” about some interesting research in elephants that is relevant to the discussion of environmental conditioning. Trainers shackle young elephants to heavy chains with deeply embedded stakes. This teaches the elephant to stay in its place.
Older, more powerful elephants trained in this way never try to leave – even though they have the strength to pull up the stake and walk away. Their conditioning limits their movements. Eventually, with only a small unattached metal bracelet on their legs, they stand in place – even though the stakes are actually gone! …like the powerful elephants, many people are bound by the restraints of their previous conditioning.
Although this story is a very familiar one, the lessons in it are no less profound. Some people impose needless limits on their personal progress. Don’t mindlessly accept restraints on your abilities. We are products of our environments, and the sooner you realize this, the faster your change. This truth impacts your financial, physical, relational, spiritual, and educational goals.
Applying This Lesson
This year, I will face some of the biggest challenges ever, and I could give up and do well by most people standards. The problem is I have to look at myself in the mirror. In others words, I wouldn’t be happy if I gave up. Thus, I refuse to quit and will stop when I win. My closest friends believe in me and are also pursuing their own ambitious goals. I have zero tolerance for negative energy. In fact, those who major on negativity often find my presence uncomfortable. That may be tough but that’s the environment that I choose to be in. That’s right, you can create the environment necessary to achieve your goals.
As this new year progresses, I ask you to challenge yourself like never before. I am not just talking about accumulating new skills and associating with the kind of people you want in your future, both of which are important. I am asking you to have a deliberate paradigm shift. It is Dr. Steven Covey who says that the fastest way to obtain transformation in your life is to have a radical paradigm shift. See yourself as being free. Ask yourself what would you do if you knew it was impossible for you to fail. Then, map out the steps to achieve an uncommon goal this year. Release yourself from any previous programing not conducive to becoming a champion, so that you can enjoy successes by practically anyone’s measures. Here’s to a prosperous 2010.
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Image Credit: ilovestrawberries
Copyright 2012, Roshawn Watson, Pharm.D., Ph.D. All Rights Reserved.
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