On Becoming a Dragon: The Legend of the Koi Fish & the Power of Environment & Perception

The Japanese legend of the koi fish tells the story of how these fish swim upstream and, when they reach the top of the river they transform into powerful dragons.

This transformation is does not happen spontaneously, however. The koi fish must swim against the current.

Too strong a current, though, and the Koi is swept away; too weak, the Koi doesn’t have the necessary conditions to forge its body into that of a dragon.

It has to be just right, a perfect flow

This legend offers a powerful metaphor for the way in which our environment and our perceptions of ourselves can either help or hinder us on our journey to greatness.

If we are like the koi fish stuck in a pond, we will never be able to fulfill our potential. We need to be able to swim upstream, to face challenges and resistance, in order to become the person we were always meant to be.

Sometimes it can be difficult to see beyond the environment we are in and the perceptions we have of ourselves. We may feel stuck or limited by our social structure and our own beliefs about our abilities.

But life is full of opportunities, and sometimes it takes a change in environment or a change in perception to help us achieve our greatness.

We must learn to embrace the challenges and resistance we face, for it is through these obstacles that we can become the the dragon we were always meant to be.

The obstacle is the way. The resistance is the metamorphosis.

Be like the Koi, swim upstream and become what you were meant to be.

Reflection:

1. Is your environment challenging you enough? Too much or too little?
2. Are the beliefs you have about your abilities holding you back from growth?

Thanks Alyssa Manakil and Scot Cuachon, two incredible lifelong friends who inspire me to swim upstream.