I CAN

I believe I can fly! The Confidence Trick!

‘I CAN’ usually means being able to do something. It connotes having the will power to execute a task or perform a duty. Often times, all that we need to be able to carry out a task or undertake a project or do anything; at our place of work, school or community is to have confidence in our abilities. To snatch a victory and to overcome a challenge we need to have a flake of confidence, boldness and staying power. There would almost always be obstacles; the trick is not to see them as blockades that prevent us from moving up, but as springboards that make us jump higher and much harder.

I would want to use an old fable to illustrate the concept of confidence, boldness, and staying power, the ‘I Can’ ethos. The story talks about how a dog was able to turn a bad day into a good one. How it had confidence and boldness in the face of great danger and turned a threat into an opportunity. I have read this story a couple of times and I am sure you might have also read it or heard of it before but I assure you of an extra touch this time round. If you haven’t, then this is your time. Enjoy!

‘A wealthy old gentleman decided to go on a hunting safari in Africa, taking along for company, his faithful, elderly dog named Killer. One day, the old dog started chasing rabbits and before long, was lost. Wandering about, he noticed a leopard heading rapidly in his direction with the intention of eating him up.

The old dog thought, “Oh, oh! I’m in deep trouble now!” Noticing some bones on the ground close by, he immediately settled down to chew them with his back facing the approaching cat. Just as the leopard was about to pounce on its prey, the old dog exclaimed loudly, “Boy, that was one delicious leopard! I wonder if there are any more around here.” Hearing this, the young leopard halted his attack in mid-strike, a look of terror came over him as he slunk away into the trees. “Whew!”, said the leopard, “That was close! That old dog nearly had me!”

Meanwhile, a monkey who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree, decided to trade his knowledge in return for future protection from the leopard. As the monkey headed after the leopard with great speed, the old dog saw him and figured that something was up. The monkey soon caught up with the leopard, told him what he had seen and struck a deal with him. The young leopard got furious at being made a fool of and said, “Here, monkey, hop on my back and see what’s going to happen to that lying canine!”

Now Killer saw the leopard coming with the monkey on his back and thought, “What am I going to do now?” Instead of running, the dog sat down with his back to his attackers, pretending he hadn’t seen them. Just when they got close enough to hear him speak, the old dog said…… ”Where’s that lazy monkey? I sent him off an hour ago to bring me another leopard!”

The rest of the story is yours to complete!

REFLECTION

KNOW WHAT YOU ARE UP AGAINST.

I believe the first trick to having confidence, boldness and staying power is to know what you are up against, in school, at the office, or in the community. Without identifying what you are up against and what you have to be bold about, and to stand strong against, the highest level of your boldness would be as good as nothing. Does our story teach this? Yes it does! “……he noticed a leopard heading rapidly in his direction with the intention of eating him up.” Killer knew what he was up against, a leopard ready to make dinner out of him, and he crafted a solution with that in mind. A solution with the problem in mind is the real deal. If we would be able to stand strong and be bold about issues that confront us, the first thing is to know exactly what we are up against. Identify it!

THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN.

More often than not, the things we need are already around us. Yes, we just need to recognize and make use of them. It could be an old idea, a friend, a pastor, a mentor or a business associate. Our story talks about bones. Remember it was a dog! That channel of a breakthrough would not be something strange. It would be something common and yet peculiar. The way out is thus the way within. It is often said that the solution to a problem lies in the problem, and inside every disadvantage is an advantage. Take a minute and look within you, your circumstance, or problem to find out what you can use for your benefit and success.

FOCUS, SEE YOURSELF ABOVE.

You should never belittle your situation but more importantly, never belittle yourself. To belittle a thing is to look at it less seriously or to underestimate it. I am afraid that would not help. You should see the situation as big or small, and as threatening as it is but more importantly, see yourself above the threat. See you above the situation or problem, bigger, better and capable of handling the situation. Killer turned his back to the leopard, the threat and faced the bones, his bail out!

More importantly, he saw the leopard as a ‘cat’. And for your judgment, a leopard is indeed a cat. You realize that Killer didn’t see his threat as a leopard without teeth or one without spots, but as a cat. Killer did not underestimate the ‘powers’ of the leopard, he saw himself in a more powerful position, able to lock horns. To be bold and courageous and to stand up against tough times, we are encouraged to do same, to see ourselves above, better than the situation and being able to turn the tables.

POSITIVELY SPEAK OUT.

Speak out your victory over the problem. See yourself as having overcome and coming out of that bad situation. Continually say it. It breeds faith, confidence, and stirs within you the genes to conquer. Killer said, “That was a delicious leopard…..” You could also say, the success of this new product, or business venture, or book is unprecedented. Speaking it out sure would not deliver the results you need, but it is an effective catalyst in your efforts to get results. Hey, you lose nothing by speaking it out, but you have all to gain – your confidence and will power. Positively speak out!

WATCH OUT FOR THE MONKEY.

Yeah, watch out for the monkey! There would always be monkeys watching from nearby trees, who would try to trouble the waters and talk you out of whatever you are boldly pursuing. You know why? They are afraid of the same, if not a similar issue. The monkey in our story wanted to betray Killer for protection from the leopard. How do we handle the monkeys?

DON’T RUN, BUT RELAX AND DON’T STOP TALKING IT!

Former President of South Africa, the late Nelson Mandela said this and I quote,

“I learned that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

CONCLUSION

All in all, know what you are up against, look deep within – the solution is right there, focus and see yourself above that threat and speak positively. At the same time watch out for the monkeys but do not run but relax and don’t stop talking it! Sooner than later, you would walk the talk!