Illusory limits

How many times we had a feeling about someone and we ended up being wrong? How many times we believed that something was good/bad for us and it ended up being completely the opposite? How many stereotypes that we had revealed to be incorrect? What if we are also mistaking how we perceive ourselves? What if our self-limitations are an illusion? 

During every single situation in our lives, we are standing at least in front of two options: is it good or bad? I choose this or that? I do it or I walk away? We are always facing this dilemma and we end up making our judgements based on our past experiences, on our beliefs, and sometimes we just don’t know. In fact, to know what was best, was an obsession for humans since ever. But we will never know!

And one more time: What if we are mistaking how we perceive ourselves and our limitations? Our self-perception and therefore our limits are influenced by our environment, our failures and our fears. The story of The Elephant and the Rope is a good example to illustrate and it says:

“A gentleman was walking through an elephant camp, and he spotted that the elephants weren’t being kept in cages or held by the use of chains. All that was holding them back from escaping the camp, was a small piece of rope tied to one of their legs. As the man gazed upon the elephants, he was completely confused as to why the elephants didn’t just use their strength to break the rope and escape the camp. They could easily have done so, but instead, they didn’t try to at all. Curious and wanting to know the answer, he asked a trainer nearby why the elephants were just standing there and never tried to escape. The trainer replied: when they are very young and much smaller, we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

The reason holding back the “big” elephant from breaking the “small” rope is the same reason holding you today from moving forward and achieving more: Your Illusory Limits. This rope is your fear of change, your fear of what you don’t know, and your fear of failure. It is also influenced by what you’ve been told by others and their perception of you and your work, by the rules and values of your society; “birds born in a cage think flying is an illness” (Alejandro Jodorowsky), and by your personal deep wounds hurting you.

Stop underestimating your capacity and break the rope! And finally, as Nick Vujicic says in his book Limitless: Devotions for a Ridiculously Good Life: “Life may not be going well for you now, but as long as you are here, as long as you press forward, anything is possible. Hold on the hope.”