Other's opinion.....Chains that bind us!

A man was passing by an elephant that had its legs chained to a tree. He suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that this huge creature was being held by only a small metal chain. It could, at any time easily break away from the metal chain binding it. But for some reason, it did not. He saw the mahout nearby and asked, why the elephant did no attempt to break away. “Well,” the mahout said, “when they are young & much smaller we use the same size metal chains to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe that they cannot break away and the metal chain can that still hold them, so they never try to break free.” 

Like the elephant, we are bound by chains both big & small. We go on living within beliefs of impossibilities. These chains are the opinions of others - our parents, teachers, friends, and society who, like the mahout binds us into believing on our incapability and thus we fail to see our strength. 

As a child I heard my parents and teachers talk about how weak I was in Math & Science (besides other subjects) So much was spoken about my incapability that I failed to see my capabilities and the +ve side of me & my strength.

Therefore, I became a product of other people’s opinions which is, not the real me. My teachers failed to teach me the possibility of getting on with better grades. When I got a 'C' and 'D' grade in school, my parents & teachers focused on the grades that I scored, and never on the possibility that I could move up the grades of 'B+', 'A' or an 'A++.' The question always was "WHY?" and never a "WHY NOT?"

I hated school because nothing good was ever spoken of me. Only the 'C' &' D' grades that I earned were my best-friends. Those grades defined me. I never hoped for better grades, I was only looking for someone to tell me that "I CAN". A word of encouragement that I am good, and that I can better my grades would have brought out my capabilities and would show me the possibilities. I could shatter the chains......

When our brains are bombarded with difficulties & impossibilities the brain starts to believe in them. These impossibilities and incapabilities becomes the belief and, the belief becomes our reality. Thus…I graduated from school with a monster-enemy called Math & Science that started to haunt me. I was chained & enslaved by other's opinions that defined me.

I soon realized that the opinions of others should not define me. I knew I had to change my beliefs or, remain a victim of others opinions. I defied those opinions and that was encouraging for me to get ahead. As I moved into the university, I scored a 97% in Statistics, 95% in Chemistry and always topped my business math with A+ & A++. 

This change in me was because I decided that other people’s opinion of me, must not define me and my future. It is not and it will not. I had to shatter the chains that bound me.

We believe we cannot do something because, we failed at it once before. Our belief became our conviction, and we became a victim of our negative beliefs. Failure is part of learning and we should never give up the struggle to learn. 

The truth is that our minds can achieve anything that it can focus . Achievement is limitless to the mind but, only when you are willing to challenge the impossibility. It will define you! 

Your perception will become your reality, not the opinion of others!

Break the chains that bind you. Challenge the opinions that define you!

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