17/04/2021
what is the assumed constraint holding your life down?
‘An Assumed Constraint is a belief you have based on past experience that limits your current and future experiences’
This illustration is culled from the story of a circus elephant.
Here is how it goes:
‘When they begin to train an elephant for the circus, they look for a baby elephant and chain its leg to a pole in the ground.
The baby elephant will always be eager to get away and gain freedom.
In a bid to do that, he pulls and pulls and pulls the chain till the ring create a sore around its leg
Then he stops.
why is this happening?
Very simple, the chain used to chain his leg is too big at the time and the pole is too entrenched into the ground thereby making escape impossible.
So he stops trying altogether till he grows up.
As he grows up, he just assumes he can’t get away.
Now he’s a six tonne elephant, old enough to pull out the chain at one attempt.
But he dares not try it.
Why?
The circus trainer put’s a string around that six tonne elephant leg whenever they want to chain him and he wouldn’t try to break away because of his childhood experiences of the sore around its leg.
The elephant will think the chain is still as strong and sturdy like the one they use when he’s still very young.
This thing has registered in his brain and he dare not try to escape.
He thinks escape is impossible despite he is 6 tonnes in body mass now.
That is the exact situation human being found themselves
Many have been in one unfavorable situation for long and fear of breaking from the claw.
I kid you not, that is an assumed constraint.
You are only following the trick that your brain is telling you.
You are playing games with your own mind.
Just like the circus elephant, what past experience is holding you back?
What is the ‘assumed constraint’ coming your way of making headway in life?
Is it your religion belief?
Is it your cultural belief?
Why can’t you try it out first.
I remember a quote that says ‘those who say’s it’s impossible should not distract those who are already doing it’
If you do the thing, you get the power.
Even if you do it and fail, it’s normal.
Failure is just a bend on the way not the end of the road.
In fact, failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.
Stop taking it personal, it’s not you that fail, it’s the project.
And you can always try more.
Is it your current job or business?
Is it your past relationship experience?
I dare you to give it another shot.
This time, more intelligently.
And you will see how fantastic your result will be.
Don’t bow to a constraint assumed by your myopic eye.
May God help us all.
Adeshina Lawal
