When You Try To Please All ...

An old man, a boy and a donkey were going to town. The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked. As they went along, they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding. The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.

Then, later, they passed some people who remarked, "What a shame, he makes that little boy walk." So they then decided they'd both walk!

Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So, they both rode the donkey. Now they passed some people who shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey.

The boy and man figured they were probably right, so they decided to carry the donkey. As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned.

The Moral of The Story :

We're all people-pleasers to some extent. And that's okay. Wanting to be approved of —and loved—is as natural as wanting food and shelter. It's when you try to please everyone that it becomes a problem. In fact, more than a problem, a disease. Some called it “the disease to please.”

And like any other diseases, it's making you ill.

Why?

Because you want everyone to like you. To love you. You dread disapproval. Pleasing everyone seems to be the answer, the safe way to inoculate yourself against conflict and confrontation in relationships, whether family, friends, or work. So you fail to speak up, fail to say what's on your mind, fail to allow yourself to be the real you.

Instead you become the go-to person: 

• The one who will always change their plans at a moment's notice.
• The one who will always take on more work and stay late.
• The one who will always say yes.

The one who never says no.

If you try to please everyone, you might as well... Kiss your “donkey" goodbye! And even this ending won’t please everyone. You might found this story helpful when you talk about assertiveness, negotiation or resolving conflict.

Have a fun storytelling!