“How Many Times Does a Bear Get Stung”

We are at Whistler Mountain, British Columbia and the slopes have 17

> known bears in residence. Like most of us, these creatures are

> omnivores eating almost anything (ok, my sister-in-law won’t put

> anything green in her mouth). Bears particularly love berries and

> honey in season. Each have differing risk of bee stings.

>

> Have you ever poked around in blackberry or raspberry bushes for those

> sweet fruits? Bees are also attracted and once in a while you might get stung.

> While the risk is low, it’s still there and you need to assess how

> much you love berries and how much you dislike stings. As a boy, I

> often took the chance of sneaking the Oreo cookies I was addicted to but was only "caught"

> once in a blue moon. As an adult professional corporate trainer/coach,

> I sometimes push participants gently toward their success. Only once

> in a while does someone bite back in mental resistance. But mostly

> there is satisfaction in watching people gain new and useful insights.

>

> But sometimes I go for the honey; almost sure to get stung. But my oh

> my how sweet is that nectar! As a 12 year old, I once elected to go on

> a day long adventure with a cousin without permission. When I returned

> home and got "found out", I was grounded for a time. Big adventure;

> big consequences. As an adult trainer/coach, I sometimes see an

> opportunity to push a participant past their resistance tipping point.

> When successful, the person has a life-changing transformational

> experience. When they resist going there, the entire class can experience the backfire. Bigger reward, bigger risk.

>

> What is your general practice? Do you play it safe and only gain small

> rewards? Do you take bigger risks for the scrumptious honey and

> sometimes experience bigger failures? Neither approach is right or

> wrong but each has its own results. What holds you back from playing

> the bigger game? How can you use your accumulated wisdom to reduce the

> risks? Do you see how taking bigger steps also increases your capacity to succeed AND fail (at times)?

> Life is too short to live in a rut of small decision-making. See what

> it’s like to go for more honey. Like the bears, you may decide that

> the delight is worth the risk.

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