What you feed your body decides how healthy it becomes.
What you feed your mind decides how you think and act.
Every time I listen to Brian Tracy, I only learn, I grow. I became a new person.
Don’t feed your brain with mental candy; instead, provide it with mental protein.
THE ELEPHANT ROPE
There is a story about a man who, as he passed some elephants, suddenly stopped, confused, because these enormous creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front legs. No chains, no cages. The elephants could break away from their bonds, but they did not.
He saw their trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and did not get away. ‘Well,’ the trainer said, ‘when they are very young and much smaller, we use the same size rope to tie them, and at that age it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, it conditions them to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.’
It amazed the man. These animals could break free from their bonds, but because they believed they couldn’t, they were stuck right where they were!
How do you know that there is a ‘rope’ and it ties you?
• When you consider that time is not enough.
• If you consider all others except yourself as the reason for your problems.
• If you see negativity around you.
• If you are short of creativity.
• If you are not investing in learning.
How to identify these ‘ropes’?
• Write down your current belief systems. Don’t judge. ‘What is that one belief which you think is holding you back from becoming the best version of yourself?’
• Take feedback.
• Listen. Don’t respond.
• Read. Books are an excellent brain-opener.
• Meditate. Spend time with yourself.
What are these ‘ropes’?
• Fear of failure.
• Self-doubt.
• Prioritising money over time.
• Allowing others to grip your attention.
• An ‘I know all’ attitude.
How to break the ‘rope’?
That’s where advice – mental protein vs. mental candy – helps.
Once you feed the suitable protein to your mind, your mind grows and it extends in the right direction.
Mental candy – social media feeds, television, binge-watching, binge-eating, binge-shopping, constantly checking emails, flashy news.
Mental protein – books, e-books, audiobooks, online courses, meditation, physical exercise, adequate sleep, healthy food.
So what’s the sustainable way to feed your mind with mental protein?
Small and consistent efforts.
When I say small, I mean tiny efforts – just 1%.
Suppose you wish to start a reading habit. Target just five pages each day.
Suppose you wish to lose weight. Do short walks, five push-ups each day. Bring continuity. Then leap.
Suppose you wish to take an alternative career path. Start a side hustle instead. Test the waters.
How to end the urge for mental candies?
Once you make the transition from mental candies to mental protein, your brain cells will change. There will be realignment.
Small and consistent efforts will start showing results in a few days. If you make mistakes during this time, don’t be afraid; it’s better to be scared of ‘not’ making mistakes.
Don’t let your mind enter a shell with ‘big’ and ‘daunting’ changes. Such changes give you a ‘kick’ and ‘excitement’ on Day 1, but then the excitement dies its natural death the next day.
It’s not only essential to feed the physical body the suitable protein, but it’s also critical to provide the mind with adequate protein.
