| Prakash Iyer MD,Kimberly-Clark and executive coach |
It was another noisy Thursday in frog world.
A group of young frogs were chatting, discussing the latest news. As they looked at the nearby TV tower, the city’ tallest structure, they thought how wonderful it would be to be able to climb on top of it, and go where no frog had ever been. “The wind, the view &hellip oh, to be on top of the tower!”said one of the frogs, and the others croaked in agreement.
They decided that the following Sunday, they would all climb to the top of the tower. On the appointed day, several frogs gathered to watch the group of young frogs try and do the impossible. As the frogs lined up for the climb, you could hear the shouts from the crowd. “Don’t do it, it’ too dangerous!”
“No one’s done it before, what makes you think you can do it?’
Some of the young frogs heeded the warnings, and ped out before the climb started. The rest set off nevertheless, and as some tiny frogs slipped and fell, you could hear the shouts grow louder. “You can’t do it!” “The tower is way too high!”
One by one, all the frogs gave up, except one little frog. That frog paid no heed to the exhortations, and kept climbing, higher and higher until finally he reached the top of the TV tower. The first frog ever to get there!
The frogs clapped and croaked in delight. When the little frog came down, the rest of them gathered around him.
“How did you manage it? What’s the secret of your success?” they asked. The frog just looked on, and did not say a word. It turned out that he was deaf. And so while the hordes were shouting “It can’t be done”, he hadn’t heard a word. He thought they were egging him on, and mistook their shouts as words of encouragement! It’s a good idea to lead your life like that frog.
As you go about chasing your goals, your dreams and your ambitions, disregard the people who tell you it can’t be done.
Is there any job or course of study you want to pursue but people are saying with your grades, you’ll never get admission’?
Is there a new business idea that’s been jumping about in your head & but well-wishers are saying you’ll never find the capital for it?
And do you want to be rich and wealthy, and make your dreams come true – but are being told “get real, no one in our entire family has ever made that kind of money?’
Ignore them all. Turn a deaf ear.
Remember, what you achieve in life will be limited only by your ambitions, your dreams. So when people tell you it can’t be done, they are in a sense, just testing your resolve, your commitment to your goals. How badly do you want to climb your own TV tower? Giving up is easy. Getting to your goals is hard work.
There will be also be moments when you are the one watching other frogs friends, family and colleagues – trying to climb their TV towers. Be careful what you say to them. You could discourage them and stop them from working towards their goals. Or you could egg them on, and help them achieve their goals. The choice is yours. As one wise man said, you can achieve any goal you desire & if only you will help other people achieve their goals!
And yes, did I tell you who the frog met on top of the TV tower?
A bumble bee! Now, according to the laws of aerodynamics, the bumble bee cannot fly because its body weight is too high when compared to its wingspan. But luckily, the bumble bee never went to school and is unaware of the laws of aerodynamics. So it happily flies!
Be like the bumble bee, and the deaf frog. Find your goal, your TV tower. And go for it. If you can dream it, you can do it!
