The Boiling Frog

 

Have you heard of the story of the elephant in chains? Yes, to tame the giant, when they are young and not strong, they are tied to a pole or a tree using ropes or chains. They are not strong enough to break themselves free at that time. As time passes by they consider it a given that they will be tied to the pole forever. Even with full strength in their bodies, they fail to apply it as they have accepted their life tied to the pole.

Another story we have often heard is of the boiling frog. A frog is kept in water and kept to boil. The frog initially is very comfortable. Till the water is warm it feels like this is the ideal temperature. At one point the frog starts feeling hot, but does not still want to jump out as earlier he did not do it. After a certain temperature, the water is boiling and the frog is unable to act, so it boils to death.

The other day I saw a truck full of chickens outside a chicken shop. As the man was pulling out the chickens and handing them to the shopkeeper, he kept the cage door, where the chickens were kept, wide open. I looked at the behaviour of th chickens and wondered why are they not getting out of that cage and running for their life? Instead I saw them huddle further inside. Again it was how they lived and were reared at the farm too.

Most of the experiments done on animals are from the perspective of understanding how a human will react in that situation or with that drug. If science works there, it works here too. We are so used to some habit, comfort or either it could be a suffering which we are going through, that we do not have the intent or give ourselves permission to change it. 

Many times people land up self coaching, using therapy, counseling or professional coaching services to just see if any change happens in their behaviour or thinking. 

Remember, the intent or permission to self comes first before you seek to use any technique to change.