Tag: lifelesson

The Flight of the Geese

geeseEvery fall thousands of geese fly from Canada southward even as far as Venezuela to escape the bitterly cold Canadian winter. As soon as a flock of geese take flight from Canadian waters they quickly form a V-shape flying pattern, with one rotating goose in the center lead and all the other geese trailing behind in two close lines.

Wildlife scientists have made some fascinating discoveries:

  • When geese fly together, each goose provides additional lift and reduces air resistance for the goose flying behind it. Consequently, by flying together in a v-formation, the whole flock can fly about 71% farther with the same amount of energy than if each goose flew alone. Geese have discovered that they can reach their destination more quickly and with less energy expended when they fly together in formation.
  • When a goose drops out of the v-formation it quickly discovers that it requires a great deal more effort and energy to fly. Consequently, that goose will quickly return to the formation to take advantage of the lifting power that comes from flying together.
  • The lead goose flying in front of the formation has to expend the most energy because it is the first to break the flow of air that provides the additional lift for all of the geese who follow behind the leader. Consequently, when the lead goose gets tired, it drops out of the front position and moves to the rear of the formation, where the resistance is lightest, and another goose moves to the leadership position. This rotation of position happens many times in the course of the long journey to warmer climates.
  • They also frequently make loud honking sounds as they fly together, the whole team communicating amongst themselves and also encouraging the lead goose during their long flight.
  • When one goose becomes ill, is shot or injured, and drops out of the formation, two other geese will fall out of formation and remain with the weakened goose. They will stay with and protect the injured goose from predators until it is able to fly again or dies. Afterward they will catch up to their formation or join another flock going south.

What an excellent example of solidarity and working in harmony to attain common values and goals. We as humans have much to learn from these graceful and intelligent birds.

You Never Lose Your Value

billet-froisseA well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a €100 bill. In the room of 200, he asked “What is this piece of paper and is it worth anything?” “It is a €100 bill, which can be cashed in international & national markets for it’s quoted value,” replied one of the many participants who raised their hands.

The speaker proceeded to crumple up the €100 bill using both his hands until it became a bundle of wrinkled paper. He then unfolded it again and making an unsuccessful attempt to keep it straight he asked, “Would you still be able to negotiate it for it’s quoted value?”

” Yes!” was the echoing reply from the participants.

“Well,” he said, “Looks like I haven’t done enough! What if I do this?” And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, which was now all crumpled, dirty, defaced and not easy to recognize from a distance. “Now will someone like to trade it for its quoted value?” Many hands went in the air.

“I think that piece of currency is still holding its quoted value” replied a participant in an unsure voice. “This bill can still fetch goods worth 100 Euros” said the other participants. Everyone agreed.

“My friends, there is a very valuable lesson in this exercise that we are just through with. It may have appeared to some of you, that I was able to deface, mutilate & alter the €100 bill during the process as the effects were quite visible”.

“However, no matter what I did to this piece of paper, you still upheld its negotiability because you were sure in your mind that my actions did not actually decrease its value. It was still a currency note worth €100”.

“Many times in our lives, we feel as though we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and/or the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. It may also appear to onlookers as if it has really happened to a certain extent. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, please remember you never lose your “Value”.

The Cork and the Whale

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

A little brown cork
Fell in the path of a whale
Who lashed it down
With his angry tail.
But, in spite of the blows,
It quickly arose,
And floated serenely
Before his nose.
Said the cork to the whale,
“You may flap and sputter and frown,
But you never, never can keep me down:
For I’m made of the stuff
That is buoyant enough
To float instead of to drown.”

Author Unknown

Don’t Act Like an Elephant!

african-elephant

Strange statement, isn’t it? But listen carefully because it can make a difference of success and failure in your business and private life.

LET ME EXPLAIN:

You may know that in India elephants are used for manual labour. But what to do with them when they are not working? How to restrain them? Their handlers came up with the idea to “program” them while they are still very young by setting self-imposed limits into their thinking.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

When the elephants are still small, weighing around 150 pounds they get tied up with a very heavy rope. All day long, the elephants try to get rid of it, whine, tug at it and some of them even try to chew it. But they can’t break free. Finally the elephant gives up and the fight is over.

From this moment on, they strongly believe that there is absolutely no chance to get rid of the rope. They accept the “fact” that the rope limits them. And with this imprinted belief in place, their handlers are able to tie them with extremely small ropes, even as adults weighing 8,000 pounds and more, they never attempt to break free, because they “know” they have no chance at all! As you can see, the elephants’ limits are not real but exist only in their mind.

We also have built-in boundaries.They are also not real but exist only in our minds. But it doesn’t have to stay this way. Our negative belief systems don’t have to limit us for good. If you truly want to become successful and are not kidding yourself, you can change your inner belief system, your attitude…

…and break your inner boundaries. You might feel that there are certain characteristics of your personality that are part of you and therefore cannot change; it’s just the way you are, the way God made you.

Although it’s true that you have certain inborn traits, certain strengths and weaknesses,this doesn’t mean that you can never change. You might wonder how this can be, how you can change what you feel is a long-standing habit, an almost ingrained characteristic, and turn it into something different. All things are possible with God!

It just takes a sincere desire to receive His help, and determination to follow through. You always have the inner strength, the personal power to change everything in your life for the better. Just try! Never give up. And never act like an elephant!

The Farmer & the Travellers

farmerThere once was a man walking a very long road from one village to another. At the outskirts of the new village he encountered a farmer labouring in his field.

He said to the farmer, “I have walked a great distance to come to this village of yours. I have left my village looking for a new home, perhaps I will find it here. Tell me, how are the people in this village? What kind of people are they?”

The man in the field thought a moment, then asked, “What were the people like in the village you came from?”

The traveller replied, “They were uncaring, self-absorbed, cynical, and unfriendly. That’s why I left.”

The farmer paused before replying and then said, “I think that’s how you’ll find the people here, too.”

The traveller replied, “In that case, I’ll just move on and look somewhere else.”

A couple of days later, the farmer was again out in his field when another man approached him and said, “My village was destroyed and the people scattered. I am looking to find myself a new home, perhaps in this village. Can you tell me, how are the people in this village? What kind of people are they?”

The farmer asked, “What were the people like in your village?”

The traveller replied, “They were wonderful people, loving, close, helpful, and I will miss them terribly.”

The farmer said, “I think that’s how you’ll find the people here also.”

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. – The Bible.