This isn’t the story about the four blind men and the elephant,
this is the story of me looking at that 6 ton elephant in the
zoo, tethered to that tiny stake, and wondering why on earth she
doesn’t break loose. Instead she rocks back and forth when it
should take an electric fence, iron bars, or 25 armed men to
confine her, if that.
It’s all in her mind, God love her.
How can this happen? How has she forgotten what she’s capable
of?
Elephants are mammals, like us humans, and they share the limbic
brain with us. This means, unlike reptiles, we are able to
learn. Elephants need to learn many things to survive; for
instance they aren’t born knowing what their trunk is for. Some
aren’t weaned until their 10th year, and they’re all completely
dependant on their mothers (physically and emotionally) for 4-5
years.
Most of the growth of the elephant brain takes place after
birth, and this happens with learning.
Unfortunately it, like us, learns both good and bad things. The
elephant may learn when it tries to leave the herd, the others
will come after it causing a fuss, which scares it, so it
remembers not to wander off.
It may learn it can pick up tasty treats with its trunk, and so
it remembers to do this.
Or someone may capture it when it’s little, and put a chain
around its leg attached to a stake that’s too strong for it to
pull away from. It will try with all its might, and only succeed
in tearing its leg which causes more pain, so eventually, being
smart, being able to learn, it gives up.
What it has learned is hopelessness and helplessness. This means
for the rest of its life, even when it weigh 6 tons and should
be nearly impossible to contain, it will allow that chain on its
leg to rule its life.
So there stands that 6-ton animal, tethered by nothing really,
except its fearful memories.
Has this happened to you? (Think about it.)
About Author :
©Susan Dunn, MA Clinical Psychology, The EQ Coach,
http://www.susandunn.cc . Offering individual, executive and
team coaching in emotional intelligence, leadership,
communication, resilience and success. The EQ Foundation
Course©, The EQ Learning Lab™, The EQ eBook Library –
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Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for FREE ezine.
