Chris 'Fantastic' Powell
Great leaders in life or business who want to be a success,must think clearly, make smart choices, and stay focused on their goals. Its takes practicle thinking to grow, lead, and succeed by using common sense and taking action.
Chris 'Fantastic' Powell
Don't Cut the Limb You're Standing On
Success requires protecting what you've already built instead of unconsciously destroying it through carelessness, arrogance, or distraction. The metaphor of someone cutting the tree limb they're standing on perfectly illustrates how we often sabotage our own achievements.
Life is waiting for you each day and you have to prepare for each challenge along the way towards success. It's not simple, but it can be done. Welcome to my Common Sense Motivation episodes. I'm Chris Fantastic Powell. Don't cut the limb you're standing on. I want to dedicate this episode to my cousin, ricardo.
Speaker 1:He told me a story I will never forget, one that painted such a powerful picture of life's mistakes it's almost impossible to get out of my head. There was a man high up in a tree standing on a limb and, with a new saw in his hand, he began cutting the very limb he was standing on. If no one stopped him, there was only one possible outcome disaster. As I pictured this man high up in the tree cutting at the one thing holding him up, I thought about how many people in life do the exact same thing, not with trees, not with saws, but with their decisions, their pride and their choices. We all know them. The employee who finally has a good job, steady pay and opportunity ahead, yet storms into the boss's office fueled by anger and says you'd better give me a raise, and the next day they're cleaning out their desk. The spouse who is blessed with a loving family, stability and future, but says I'm bored and makes reckless decisions that shatter the home they built. The little boy who, frustrated with this teacher, decides to yell and disrespect her, only to find himself suspended and behind in class. The zookeeper, who feeds the lion every day but teases it, laughs at it, forgets the danger until one day he leaves the gate open by accident and the lion is standing there waiting. It's the same pattern people cutting away at the very limb, holding them up.
Speaker 1:The truth is, sometimes we don't recognize how blessed we are in the moment. We don't stop to appreciate what we worked so hard for because we're already chasing the next thing. We run right past the dream we once prayed for. When you can't appreciate where you are, you will sabotage it. When you can't see the value of what you've built, you will unconsciously destroy it.
Speaker 1:I've seen people fight for years to reach the top financial freedom, a dream business, a beautiful family only to lose it because of carelessness, arrogance or distraction. They think the higher they climb, the more untouchable they are. But the truth is, the higher you are, the more careful you must be. One bad decision, one reckless choice, one moment of neglect and it's not just a stumble choice. One moment of neglect and it's not just a stumble, it's a fall.
Speaker 1:Here's the lesson Don't cut the limb you're standing on, don't destroy the very thing that's holding you up. Protect your blessings, guard your opportunities, value your relationships and take care of your success. Like it's fragile, because it is, of course. Aim higher and, yes, dream bigger, but do it from a place of gratitude, not from a place of greed, boredom or ego. Sometimes the wisest thing you can do is stop, look around and realize I'm already standing on something worth keeping, because the climb is hard, but the fall, that's instant. So keep your balance, keep your focus and don't cut the limb you're standing on. Make it happen. I'm Chris Fantastic Powell. Thank you for listening. For books, ebooks or audiobooks, visit chrisfantasticpowellcom or find them on Amazon.