Don’t Be A Crab

My dear friend and former colleague recently posted: “One thing about me: I have no problem rebranding! I’m definitely on my 5th life and ain’t afraid to start over.”

I thought, “Wow, you go, girl!” I’ve known her for quite a few years now and watched her continue to grow and evolve.

This got me thinking about how many people are afraid to make desired changes in their life.

We all tend to be afraid that the people in our lives know us all too well. Our friends and family know all our weaknesses. They know how often we’re lazy. They know all the years we’ve been bitter or apathetic or even mean. They can shine a light on every area of undiscipline. Those people simply aren’t going to believe in our big aspirations to do something more.

Like crabs in a pot.

Do you know how crabs behave when they’re trapped in a pot? If one crab tries to climb out and escape, the others will pull it back down rather than letting it get away. Instead of working together to find a collective solution, or allowing even one member to succeed, the crabs purposefully hinder each other’s progress.

When I read that my friend had no problem “rebranding,” my heart jumped for joy. She’s in her 30s or 40s and is bragging about living her 5th life.

Isn’t that wonderful and amazing? In spite of the inevitable crabs in her life, she’s entirely committed to growth versus staying stuck.

So, what are the identities you feel stuck with but wish you could change? Are there crabs in your life that would discourage your growth? Here are a few examples:

• The big brother who can’t see that you’ve actually grown beyond him in business acumen.
• The boss who used to manage like General Patton but has learned some more effective ways to lead, yet the team keeps reacting like undisciplined recruits.
• Your sister who encourages you to skip a planned night at the gym because “there’s always tomorrow.”

For me, my continual iterations in many areas of my life are a source of pride.

I’m not my former self, and next year I won’t be my current self either.

I’m not ashamed of who I was. Even though today I can see that I could have been much better in many areas, I was as good as I could be with what I knew at the time.

I’m not ashamed of who I am today, even though tomorrow I will see how far I am from the mark.

When we are willing to embrace our human journey and keep upgrading our identity, as hard as that can be, life and business just keep getting better and better.

But we have to understand the impact of the crabs. We must believe in our future self, even if the crabs don’t.

I loved seeing this passion and pride in my friend. She got out of the pot! Will you?