Remember the parable about the hunter, the monkey and the jar of nuts? The jar had an opening as large as the monkey’s paw but when he had a fistful of nuts, he couldn’t remove his hand. Fortunately for the hunter, the monkey wouldn’t let go and remained until the hunter captured him. I like that monkey. He has a quality I find very appealing: determination. Unfortunately for him, he used his determination in a way that made him vulnerable instead of stronger.
So it is when we hold on in the wrong way or to the wrong things. Holding on to the past or holding on to excuses about why we don’t want to try something or why something won’t work for us traps us just like the monkey. A past hurt. The wrong relationship. A dead-end job. Maybe we’re just scared to try.
Figure out what it is you want. The monkey wanted the nuts.
Look at the trap for what it is. The monkey didn’t see that the jar was actually a trap.
Take some time to make a plan. If the monkey had used his ingenuity, he might have taken a moment to pour the nuts into his hand, bolting from the scene and leaving the hunter with mouth agape.
Hold on. One thing you can say about that monkey is that he didn’t give up. He didn’t let the threat of the hunter worry him or deter his single-mindedness.
Prioritize. Why spend your time doing something you wouldn’t hold onto when push comes to shove?
Find some nuts. Figure out what is important. If nothing comes to mind, dig deep and remember what you wanted to do, what you dreamed of doing.
The monkey fooled himself. By not letting go, he allowed himself to be trapped, forfeiting his prize. What do you hold onto that could be holding you back?
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Hi,
Liked. Trap is the word here that gets my attention. Good blog.
yes, it is wise to drop your nuts when somebody unexpected approaches…
hmm….
if stubborness is sometimes a virtue, and yet a virtue impossible for somebody who thinks too much, then is the stubborn person doomed to get his head bashed in sooner or later?
I can always count on the unexpected from you, Mr. June 🙂