The Open Door

When I had come across an esteemed counselorm my first question to him was how do you solve the problems of the people that approach you. His answer was simple but very meaningful. He replied saying, "I don’t solve people’s problems, I just help they realize their potential of solving it themselves."

Step one of solving a problem is realizing that you have one. In my personal experience when  faced with a dramatic change in my academics, I encountered several failures. The things I had planned for myself didn't work out due to which I slowly started to slip out. I didn't fight with failure any more but embraced it and made it my friend. I kept mourning over it for over 2 years.

A few months back I had attended a mock Interview in college, the interviewer saw my resume and commented I was wasting away my talents. He asked me the reason why so and I bluntly told him the truth. He thought about it for a moment and replied, "I understand what you went through and it is fine to mourn over it, but 2 years has been long enough. Stop licking you wounds and get up and face it." Those words hit me somewhere in my head and heart. And I realized what I am now is not what I am meant to be. This thought helped me make my escape from failure and climb the steps of success.

I had read a very interesting experiment which was conducted in the 60’s. The scientists in this experiment had this large cage. Half of the floor delivered a mild electric shock, the other half didn't. They put a dog in the cage, and it quickly learned to stay on the side that didn't have the shock. The scientists then switched sides of the shock delivered, and again the dog learned to avoid  the other half of the cage. In the third test, they electrified the entire floor. The dog got the shock no matter where it stepped. At first it was confused, then panicked. Finally, the dog gave up, lay down on the floor and no longer tried to figure out how to avoid the shock. In the fourth test the scientists kept the floor electrically activated but opened the cage door so that the dog could leap out.

They were stunned when the dog didn’t scramble off the floor that was delivering mild shocks, and make its leap to freedom. They concluded that an animal exposed to unavoidable pain will eventually adapt to it, so that when it’s given a chance to freedom, the natural instinct to run has been negated.

We are no different from this dog. We have the potential to escape but we neglect it and adapt to the pain and failure. Failure is unavoidable. But overcoming it is our choice. It is the stepping stone to success. Each time you face it, step over it in order to reach the top and touch the sky. If you are in the same place where I was, please know that you are not trapped. The door is wide open. Only you can redeem yourself. You have the key to your freedom!!