The following is a quote by Tommy Newberry from his book The 4:8 Principle. “When I was a kid one of my coaches told me a story about circus elephants. When these elephants are still little and weak, they are chained to iron stakes in the ground, which prevent them from breaking free and running away. This allows the circus trainers to keep them close, work with them, and prepare them for their routines.
What’s strange is that even after the little elephants grow into huge, powerful animals capable of lifting a ton or more with their trunks, they remain restricted by those same miniature stakes in the ground. Even when they are more than strong enough to yank the stake out of the ground and roam free, they don’t do it. They don’t even try. They remain limited by the old boundaries.”
Now personally I am an animal lover so I really don’t like the idea of little elephants being confined to chains and iron stakes; however, the illustration of the story is powerful. So often, we are like those circus elephants. We have been trained as children to believe we are weak and limited. We have learned to believe that we cannot and therefore we don’t. Yet, in many cases it is the limiting belief (I cannot) that is the only thing keeping us from actually living a different or more powerful life.
There are the events that have happened to us, in sight of us or events that didn’t happen yet should have. Then, there is the emotional response that we have that often gets suppressed. And finally, there is the story that we made up about ourselves and/or others that then becomes our belief. Emotional expression and healing helps to resolve the suppressed emotional response; however, many stop there. Not realizing that what you believe is what you will create until you realize that it’s not your circumstances that are causing your pain and limitation. It is that which is inside of you that you believe about you that isn’t even true. Yes, that self talk about how you are not enough, not worthy, not lovable, not capable (and many more) are lies. And if that describes you then you are operating on a faulty system.
Much like the circus elephants you have been trained to believe that your life is limited to a little chain and stake in the ground. Yet, deep inside you know that you were created for more. And that’s because you were and you are. The first step in not being like a circus elephant is realizing that you are bigger than the stake in the ground. Limiting beliefs only have power when they are believed. If you realize that they are lies built from negative experience you are taking the first step in living a present and future that is different from your past.
What limiting beliefs are keep you from realizing your potential?
