Imagine this..!
A friend of mine gave me a riddle the other day that I thought was quite clever and really reflective of how we view life.
He said: “Imagine you are stuck in a jail cell with no way to get out. How do you get out?”
The deceptively obvious answer? “Stop imagining,” he said.
This answer is simple, maybe even too simple, but there is such wisdom in it. We are constantly imagining worries and outcomes that do not yet exist. They cause us stress and take us away from living life in the present moment. Our mind has tremendous power and influence over us, and we sometimes forget the impact our self-talk has on our mind and body.
If we constantly think we are not good enough, smart enough, strong enough or fast enough, we are essentially imagining ourselves in the jail cell of my friend’s riddle.
The truth is you may not be the smartest, strongest or fastest person. In fact, there’s a very small chance that you are. However, I can guarantee that you are a master at something. You may be a great listener or a loving brother or an environmental superstar—all of which are extremely important and valuable.
If you constantly compare yourself to others and focus all your energy on where you fall short, you are essentially putting yourself in that jail cell with no hope of escape, and that’s not productive or healthy. The good news is you — we all — have the power to stop imagining the jail cell and start imagining better. We are amazing people, and we all make the world a better place, in our unique ways.
I am a very strong believer that your thinking becomes your reality. Which means, if you think you can make the world a better place, you will. And if you think you are stuck in a jail cell, then indeed, you are.
We are in complete control of our thoughts, so let’s concentrate on the thoughts that remind us of how great we are and how we can help those around us be great too. Remember, when you free yourself of your mental jail cell—whether you know it or not—you give others the freedom to leave their cells as well.
By Sunjay Nath
Sunjay travels the world sharing insights on leadership. He is the author of several books including the best seller, The ABCs of Student Leadership and a frequent speaker at our Leadership Summits. To order his book or learn how to have him as a guest speaker, please visit www.SunjayNath.com.