1. I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost...I am hopeless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
2. I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place.
But it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
3. I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in...it's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
4. I walk down the same street.
There's a hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
5. I walk down another street.
by Portia Nelson
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2 comments:
This reminds me of a short story I once read in some leadership book:
These three frogs were hopping along through the forest together when at some point, they all fell into a deep hole, they obviously didn't see. The hole was too deep for them to just hop out. They were stuck. As night fell, and morning came, other frogs in the forest heard the three frogs cries for help and came to the edge of the hole to see what all the fuss was about. The frogs on top could see there was no way out for their friends stuck in the hole. Finally, one of the frogs on top started yelling at the frogs below to "just give up"..."You'll never get out of that hole, it's impossible!". Soon, other frogs joined in yelling at the frogs below to just give up. Then pretty soon all of the frogs were yelling at the doomed frogs to just give up and die, for there is no way out. Eventually, one of the three frogs did give up, and died down in that hole. The frogs on top continued their yelling as the remaining two frogs still kept trying to get out. After much more discouragement, and yelling from above, a second frog below also decided to give up and died too. The frogs on top did not stop their yelling at the last frog to give up and join the other two who no longer are suffering. They yelled and yelled and yelled for that last frog to give up.
Then, what seemed like some kind of miracle, that last frog somehow mustered up the energy and hopped as high as he could and managed to hop right up out of that hole! He did it! The frogs on top were stunned and amazed.
You see...this third frog who kept trying and never gave up was deaf. The whole time the frogs on top were yelling at the frogs below to give up, the deaf frog thought they were yelling at them with words of encouragement and were yelling at them to keep trying, and don't give up, you can do it!
The power of encouragement.
Muey Excelente!!
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