The Elephant Rope: A Story of Learned Helplessness

When walking through an elephant camp, a man noticed that the elephants were only secured with a small rope that was tied around one ankle. He was confused and wondered why the elephants didn’t break free from the rope, as the elephants were certainly strong enough to do so.

He asked a trainer why the elephants didn’t try to break free, and the trainer responded;

"They use the same size rope for baby elephants all the way up to adulthood. Because they’re too small when they’re babies to break free from the rope, they grow up being conditioned that the rope is stronger than they are. As adults, they think the rope can still hold them, so they don’t try to fight it."

The man was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn’t, they were stuck right where they were.

The Moral of the Story

DO NOT be like the elephant going through life thinking you cannot do something because you have failed at it in the past. Just like the elephant, many of us are living with a fixed mindset which is limiting our ability to grow.

Take the necessary steps to nourish a growth mindset. It will not be easy especially if you are surrounded by people who tell you that you cannot do something. Limit your time with these people and do not hold onto an assumption that you cannot grow. Learn to grow from past failures.?

Failure is a beautiful thing if perceived the right way. Don’t be a afraid of it. We have all been conditioned to be believe failure is the opposite of success, but the reality is that it’s part of it. You cannot have one without the other.

Now dig deep, pick yourself up when you fall, and create your story of success...whatever that may be for you.??