It's Your Time to Soar!

It`s your time to soar

A small boy once went up in the mountains and brought home an
eagle egg. The boy's parents were chicken-farmers, so not knowing
any better, the boy left the egg with the hens for them to watch
over it. And finally, the eagle egg hatched.

So the little eaglet was raised according to the age...-old customs and culture of chickens. He learned to always be fearful and hysterical, and always worry. He learned to have his focus on the dirt, and that even though he was created with wings, it would be impossible for him to fly.

And the years passed, and he grew up to be a well respected chicken, as he was a little bigger than the others. But he felt like something was missing... One day he noticed an eagle in the sky. He noticed how the eagle soared effortlessly above his circumstances, not seeming to worry about all the things that the little eaglet had learned to fear.

The little eaglet felt something in his little heart. He started wondering if there was more to life than just eating worms, screaming and running for every little thing, and being trapped in his circumstances.

He mentioned his dream to his chicken friends, but they would just laugh at him. «I belong up there, above this dirt and fearfulness,» he exclaimed. «What?» they replied. «You belong down here in the dirt. See the eagle up there thinking he can soar above his circumstances, and live without being constantly worried and fearful! You know what he is? He's brainwashed! I have a 5-year masters degree from ICU (International Chicken University), and let me tell you: It is impossible to fly!»

The little eaglet continued daydreaming, even though his chicken friends thought he had lost it. He started envisioning himself soaring high above the dust and the dirt. And every now and then he heard a voice inside him saying: «You are an eagle! You can do it! You can soar!»

And one day he said goodbye to his chicken friends, and started his journey up to the mountains. Even though his mind and his experience was telling him how insane he was, he knew in his heart that he was destined for bigger things. Finally he came to the top of the mountain, and stopped at the top of a steep cliff.

As he looked down, his heart started beating faster as he felt the fear and the worry that he had become so familiar with over the years. But again, he heard this voice inside: «You are an eagle! You can do it! You can soar!» And as he spread his wings, he started singing a tune: "I believe I can fly! I believe I can touch the sky. Woaaaahhh! I think about it every night and day. I'll spread my wings and fly away. I believe I can soar... See me coming through that open do-o-oooor! I believe I can fly! I believe I can fly!"

Sound familiar...

Every entrepreneur has been or is going through those same steps of becoming independent, learning to break free from conventional thinking, learning to see themselves as leaders instead of just a face in the crowd.

Are you a chicken or an eagle? In Chinese the word for "crisis" is the same as the word for "opportunity." A change of mindset may be the only thing necessary for your situation to turn around.

Sometimes it's tough to start seeing opportunities where other people see problems, or start seeing your victory long before you actually get there. But I believe it's a lot easier to stay on your path and keep your vision, when you have like minded friends and fellow entrepreneurs backing that vision. Making you give that extra 10 percent. Remaining strong when others would have chickened out.

Like Simba in the Lion King, we need to have someone remind us of our potential, and of our possibilities. In his most desperate moment, his father, Mufasa, magically appears in the clouds and reminds him "Simba, you are my son! You are the Lion King!" Basically: "Your destiny is more than this! You have a higher purpose! You can make it!"

Isn't it YOUR TIME to soar?

Wishing you a high-flying 2011
Thomas Fuglestad