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Why think like a chained circus elephant?

Weakening one’s weakness and strengthening one’s strength is an art, and perfecting this art, is wise living. Every corporate executive should be alert to identify one’s weakness and strength. Only then can one capitalise on one’s strength and checkmate or weaken one’s weakness.

So often, one’s strength goes unnoticed, and hence, one does not reach the peak of accomplishment.

There is a psychological laziness, which makes one not to see what lies inside.

I have heard an incident involving an old man. He was selling helium filled balloons for a living. His business, like any other, had its ups and downs. Whenever his business was dull, he would release a few balloons of different colours to catch the attention of children.

Likewise, to bolster his business, he released a few balloons on one occasion. A boy, noticing balloons of different colours up in the sky, asked, “If a black balloon is released, will it also go up?” The old man with love told him, “It is not what is outside which makes the balloon go up but what is inside.”

This is true for everyone. Our internal attitudes, positivity and alertness make us go up.

Don’t let anyone stop you. One can stop you only temporarily by making negative comments. One can, with inner alertness, peak one’s strength and soar higher.

An elephant, from the days it was a calf, was tied to a pillar with a chain. When it grew up, although it had the strength to lift even a one-tonne load, it continued to feel that it couldn’t free itself of its chain. This was due to its conditioning. Many adults behave like circus elephants. What ties them down is their mind.

Our biggest weakness is not being inwardly alert, and we are lost in doing things mechanically. Our relationships, expectations, disappointments and anger are mechanical. Let us recollect the teaching of the wise. Self-remembering is a powerful practice. Ask always, ‘Am I mechanical or a conscious being?’ On and off, ask this question and look within. Also ask, ‘Am I in proper communication with others and the self? Is there real affection? Am I listening genuinely?’ Be in the domain of the question and look within.

In order to listen, we need to keep our prejudices, conclusions, likes and dislikes aside and then listen. Are we not listening with all our conclusions, prejudices, likes and dislikes? In that process, is there pure listening? Most of us listen in the backdrop of hurts, regrets and resentments. Hence, there is resistance. Our daily worries, fears and greed prevent us from factual listening.

Is it not true that one’s mind is so noisy with one’s inner disorder? In such a state, when a boss or colleague is saying something, how can factual listening be possible? Since the mind is crowded, there is always a distortion. And because of this, one translates what is said to what one knows. Hence, one’s listening is not factual but fractured. When listening is at fault, one’s relationship in office is in disorder. Can one be extremely alert to all this? Awake and arise to the world of inner alertness.

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