Peter Thomson International plc

Message Number: 287

Date: 8th September
Word Count: 492
Reading Time: 1 minute 39 seconds

"Come back here!"

Hello

Isn't it amazing just how many stories about personal development and business growth are taken from the exploits of animals, fish, insects, birds and the rest of the non-human denizens of this space spinning globe we call home.

And here's another one...

This story was first told to me by yet another fascinating guest on my Achievers Edge programme.

And having...

Undertaken some research - it seems the story is a widely reported and widely believed.

Apparently, when crabs of any size shape or form are captured and thrown into a bucket then invariably one or two of the crabs will attempt to sideways a route to escape up the slippery side of the bucket.

Now naturally:

As they attempt their freedom journey they need to climb over other captured crabs but strangely enough as soon as they reach the top of the bucket and attempt to squiggle their way out of their open top prison - the other crabs will reach up grab them and pull them back into the bucket - what a peculiar situation!

Now I wonder...

Just why it is that the other crabs don't want the one crab to escape? Surely it can't be that they're lonely in a bucket full of crabs! Surely it can't be they want to share whatever food might be lying in the bucket! Surely it can't be that they're jealous of the aspirations of the escaping crab - or are they?

As you and I realise...

This is a fabulous metaphor for some people's lives as they have attempted to escape from their current background and activities only to be pulled back by the words and thoughts of those who find themselves in the same circumstances.

"You don't want to do that!"

"But it's safe here!"

"Who do you think you are trying to better yourself?"

And no doubt many other expressions - all attempting to get the adventuring crab to stay with the non-adventuring crowd!

And so I was thinking...

Has this ever happened to you? Have there been any occasions when the people around you, perhaps with good intent, have attempted to hold you back - inside the bucket full of equally "let's accept it as it is" crabs? And did you manage to escape?

So what...

Are the other crabs in our story?

They alliterate rather nicely: people, programmes and paradigms.

And so I must...

Ask the key question: "Are there any people, programmes or paradigms in your life acting in a crab like manner - holding you back, even pulling you back into the bucket of their normality?"

And if there are - is now the time to consider whether you truly wish to escape and are prepared to take the actions, criticisms and jeers of those who would happily remain in the bucket - their fate determined by the actions of someone else.

You will think about this won’t you?

Go on then...