The Parable of the Frog: A Story of Change

"Do not consider painful what is good for you."
-- Euripides

A few years ago some scientists conducted an experiment involving a little frog. In their lab was a vat of steaming, boiling hot water. They wanted to determine how the frog would react when dropped into the vat.

Armed in their white aprons, clipboards, pencils, goggles, and rubber gloves, they held the squirming little frog over vat. Focusing intently on what they were about to do they dropped the frog …

ZING!!!

Faster than a bolt of blazed lightning that little guy burst into the air, careening off the ceiling!

"Hmmmmm," the scientists murmured amongst themselves.

They did it again. Same frog, same vat of steaming water and …

ZING!!!

It blasted from that vat like a bat out of Hades!

The scientists murmured amongst themselves again, recorded their notes, and decided to take the experiment a step further. They took the same frog, and held it over a different vat of water. Only this time the water was lukewarm, not too cold, not too hot just right. They dropped the frog and …

NOTHING!!!

The little guy just laid there, floating lazily; arms and legs splayed gently on the water's surface. You can just imagine the frog's thoughts: Man, this is all right! This is perfect.

The frog laid in the water contented, happy, and relaxed. But - What the frog didn't know was that underneath the vat was a raging fire. It was slowly, but surely, heating the vat of water. The contented frog, oblivious to the changing temperature, boiled to death. End of story.

You're probably thinking to yourself: what a terrible story.

Think again. Apply this story of the frog to that of your own life right now. If any of you are like me, then you've probably come to a startling revelation. If you are really serious about being successful in achieving your goals in life, you need to make some changes.

If you're not moving in the direction you need to go in order to realize your visions, your dreams, your aspirations in life guess what? You'll end up like our little frog. You'll die in your own complacency, mediocrity and contentment; a part of the 95% of folks who don't quite make it in life.

Read the quote at the beginning of this article. For me the quote is quite profound. And if you take it to heart, if you follow a solid game plan, if you study hard, work hard, put in the time and effort success requires you'll make it. You'll win.

Get started. Model yourselves after those who are succeeding. Two things I've learned about folks who succeed in their endeavors:

1. They work extraordinarily hard: 12-14 hour days are the norm. In fact, I catch these people up at 3 or 4 in the mornings working towards their dreams.

2. The other quality that really separates them is integrity! Reliable, trustworthy, dependable. They adhere to the KISS principle: Keep It Simple Stupid! Their daily plan is simple, consistent, persistent and real.

So, where are you? Where are you going? What are your goals? How are you going to get there? Are you making any progress?

It's been said that there are two things in life that are certain: death and taxes. Now we know there's a third: change. It you're not going anywhere, you may be like our little frog friend. Be wary of contentment and complacency; never accept mediocrity. Follow the winners! You CAN do it!