How does one become a butterfly?
You must want to fly so much that you are
willing to give up being a caterpillar.
~Trina Paulus I was talking with my good friend Tom Hanson the other day and the topic of choice vs. chance came up. Tom is a sports psychology coach (you can see all about him at www.FocusedBaseball.com) who has an extensive history of working with professional baseball players to improve their mental game. In our conversation Tom was telling me that he coached his players to hit by choice, not by chance. When I asked him more of what he meant by this, he explained that he mentally prepared his players to have an attitude of success every time they stepped up to the plate. In doing so, they felt like they had more control over the outcome of their hitting, and were more confident of their abilities. The other players, however, who hit more by chance, felt more victimized by slumps of little or no hits. And so by now you are probably wondering what this has to do with you, right'!! Please read on... We live daily in a very similar way as these two types of baseball attitudes: we make choices, and therefore have some power, input, and control over our lives; or we default to chance, which then allows other forces, circumstances, and/or people to have influence over our lives. The former choice model is certainly a more empowering model of self-actualization, whereas the latter chance model invites dependency, loss of identity, and a victim mentality that points blame at external forces for the outcome of ones life. So the next really big question is: What the heck does any of this have to do with butterflies? Please, continue to read on... The caterpillar probably has very little choice about becoming a butterfly, as that process is very instinct driven. And perhaps as well when it takes its first leap and expands its wings into the new frontier of flying. But imagine for just a moment that you were that transformed caterpillar with those brand new not-yet-flown wings. Would you choose to leap and soar into that wonderful (and perhaps a bit scary) new dimension, or would you simply wait to let it happen (or not) by chance? Furthermore, what if everyone told you that you were still a caterpillar and that you would never be able to fly...would you believe them? Or, would you listen to that small inner voice that beckoned you to take the leap and soar into your true essence? Would you make a self-empowered choice or would you take a chance that maybe everyone else was correct? So now that you see the correlation between butterflies and baseball (I know...its a stretch, but I bet its first for you!!), the real question comes back to you: How will you live; by choice or by chance? Naturally, my bias for you is for you to choose choice. In doing so you receive all the benefits of blazing your own trail as you march to the beat of your own drum. In other words, you get to be you, totally expressed and 100%...You get to live on the path of empowerment...You get to hit home runs...You get to fly... Its your choice.. |
