Avoiding Self-Created "Lids"

Once, years ago, a scientist placed a number of fleas in a glass jar and locked a lid over it. Without the lid, the fleas would jump out of the jar. Over and over again, the fleas would hit the lid and fall back to the bottom of the jar. After some time, the scientist removed the lid and marveled at what she saw: The fleas continued to jump, but no longer high enough to hit the lid. They learned to jump only high enough to safely avoid the lid.

What’s the point of this story? We are not fleas. Avoid self-created lids. Don’t limit your ambitions.

How can we avoid self-created lids? Monitor your mindset. The fact is how we see the world is how we live our life. Sometimes we talk ourselves into our realities. When we look at the world with a negative outlook, those negative ends often find their way to us. In other words, our expectations and anticipated experiences tend to materialize into the predetermined, negative outcome.

Not so sure about this approach? Try this exercise as you begin next week: Instead of starting your week with an “Ugh. It’s Monday” mindset, which automatically sets a lid on the day before you, replace this mindset with an “It’s Monday and today is the start of something special.”

Yes, we will encounter challenges throughout our day and week. Overcoming these challenges and earning the success that is often just beyond the struggle is possible when we remove our self-created lids and maintain a positive mindset.