I remember I was playing in my yard as a youngster, when I found a cocoon with a small opening in the one end. I watched for ages while a butterfly struggled to free itself from the cocoon, through the tiny hole. I continued to watch this struggle for part of the morning, finally I got bored and went inside to have some lunch. I returned about 30 minutes later with a full belly only to see the butterfly had stopped struggling and seemed to have given up. In desperation and thinking I was helping the butterfly, I ran into the kitchen and took the kitchen scissors from the drawer, ran back to the cocoon and freed the butterfly from what I thought was a prison.
The butterfly easily emerged from the cocoon, but something was very strange, the butterfly had a strangely swollen body and very shrivelled and useless wings. I ran inside to call my dad so that he could tell me how to help the butterfly. My dad came outside and in his best father tone; he explained to me that the butterfly needed to struggle to free itself from the cocoon. It was in fact the very struggle of escaping from the cocoon that allowed the butterfly to force fluid from its body into its wings. My kindness had in fact crippled the butterfly and robbed it of the ability to soar to incredible heights and experience the freedom of flight.
The butterflies struggle was really important to ensure that it acquired the ability to fly and reach its full potential. The same is true for our lives, it is often the biggest struggles or challenges that equip us with new knowledge or skills, which allows us to soar to new heights and finally explore the limits of our potential. A life lived without challenge or struggle would limit us and stop us from developing into the best version of ourselves possible. We would never be as strong as we could be and would never soar to the great heights we are capable of reaching, were it not for the inevitable struggle that we encounter along our path to success.
I read at least 4 biographies or autobiographies every year, not because they always make for the most interesting reading, but because they highlight the struggle that every celebrated winner has encountered on their journey toward super achievement. These struggles were very often the very catalyst that unlocked the super achiever in them and turned them into people worthy of having biographies or autobiographies written about them. I have never read a single biography or autobiography where everything went according to plan or where the book describes an easy life, filled with only positive events. If every single winner or super achiever has encountered some level of challenge or in many cases heart breaking obstacles in their lives, why would you expect your journey to be any different?
Super achievers become celebrated winners, because they refuse to ever become discouraged by any challenges or temporary defeats. Lou Holtz, football coach for University of South Carolina said it so well when he said, "Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity."
Many outstanding achievers we know today overcame immense difficulty before they achieved greatness.
· Albert Einstein was described as retarded and uneducable.
· An actor with arguable the best speaking voice ever, James Earl Jones, stuttered so badly as a young boy, he communicated with teachers via written notes.
· Abraham Lincoln was defeated at 8 elections, failed in business twice and had a nervous breakdown at the age of 27.
· Cornel Saunders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame was 65 years old when he started searching for someone to assist him to get his chicken business on the map. He was turned down over 1000 times before he got someone to support his vision
Silver is purified and gold is smelted into the most beautiful pieces of jewellery using fire and in many ways so are we. It is during the most difficult and trying times that our true character is moulded and our spirit is purified. Helen Keller blind author and speaker said: "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved. Silver is purified in fire and so are we. It is in the most trying times that our real character is shaped and revealed."
Shift the way you view the inevitable challenge that will come your way in future. No longer see it as overwhelming and the reason you never succeed. See it as necessary and the very catalyst that will allow you to blossom and become a super achiever. This small shift will allow you to reduce the stress you feel when you encounter challenges and also allow you to soar to heights even you thought were impossible.
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