This story was shared by Paulo Coelho.
Several biological studies have shown that when a frog is placed in a container along with water from his pond, he will remain alive while you heat the water. The frog does not react to the gradual increase of temperature (change of environment) and only dies when the water boils, swollen and happy.
On the other hand, if a frog is thrown into that same container when the water is already boiling, he will immediately jump out. He will be a little singed, but alive!
Sometimes we can be like the boiled frogs. We do not notice changes. We think everything is good, or that whatever is evil will pass; it’s just a matter of time. We are about to die, but we are floating, stable and apathetic as the water warms up every minute. We are dying, fat and happy, without having noticed the changes around us.
There are boiled frogs who still believe that the key is obedience, not competence: might is right, and getting by is enough. From all this, where is the real life? It is better to emerge from a situation, maybe a little singed from time to time, but alive and ready to act.
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What strikes me about this story is how easy it is to lose awareness. All too often when talking with folks they express and/or I sense the discomfort they experience with the pace of things in their lives. When discussion opens on this topic most often there is an attitude of resignation, a go along, get along mentality, kind of like the frog in the water…’o well, it’s just a little warmer than I’d like it to be…but that’s ok.’ But is it really ok? Look what happens to the frog. He dies “fat, dumb, and happy” as they say.
If you believe that life has more to offer than that, more than complacency and compliance (with rules you never even think about, let alone question) then I challenge you to do something drastic:
Wake Up!
Pick a time either today or this weekend when you can sit quietly for 15 minutes. And during that quiet time ask yourself this question. What am I tolerating without even noticing? And when you find your answer; stop tolerating and start living.
Make a commitment to yourself that you will change one thing.
Then follow through with your commitment.
And if you would like some support with this, give me a call. Maybe working with a coach is just what you need.
Remember, water is getting warmer every day.
