Eager to Become an Eagle

Somebody asked me today, “If you were an animal, what would you be?” I snapped the question with the answer: “At this point of my life, I am so eager to be an eagle.” If you know the story about The Life of an Eagle, you’ll get the idea as to why I chose this creature.

Contemplating the recounted claims about the eagle’s life, I would say that the constructed facts about an eagle have been presented in a sensational manner considering the ornithological depictions of it. Perhaps, the story might have been conceived with a premeditated idea or reference to the mythical phoenix. Nevertheless, the story can teach us lessons of survival and change.

HERE’S THE STORY:

The Eagle has the longest life-span of its species. It can live up to 70 years. But to reach this age, the eagle must make a hard decision.

In its 40th year its long and flexible talons can no longer grab prey which serves as food. Its long and sharp beak becomes bent. It’s old-aged and heavy wings, due to their thick feathers, stick to its chest and make it difficult to fly.

Then, the eagle is left with only two options: DIE or go through a painful process of CHANGE which lasts 150 days. The process requires that the eagle fly to a mountain top and sit on its nest. There the eagle knocks its beak against a rock until it plucks it out.

Then the eagle will wait for a new beak to grow back and then it will pluck out its talons. When its new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its old-aged feathers.

And after 5 months, the eagle takes its famous flight of rebirth and lives for 30 more years.

Why is change needed? Many times, in order to survive we have to start a change process. We sometimes need to get rid of old memories, habits and other past traditions. Only freed from past burdens, can we take advantage of the present.

On the Wings of Change

And why the eagerness to emerge as an eagle? As for me, well, I ought to embrace change. We all do at some point in time. Even the most erudite CEOs and leaders in the business world need to create change by taking risks. When you complain a lot about how your life or your business has been in a deep rut, yet you never open your eyes to the reality that it’s going to take a painful and radical process to change, then don’t expect for any change at all.

Your circumstance will become more dire than ever if you just allow yourself to feed on negativity and narrow-mindedness.

When your willpower draws near to its lowest ebb, that’s the moment when you must let your momentum go full speed ahead.

You want to SURVIVE? STRIVE to THRIVE ON TOUGH STRIDE.

 

 

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Gauging Moment

Adulthood: unnumbered strange things happen when one reaches this stage.

So what constitutes maturity, and thus adulthood? Adulthood is not based on official age; it’s based strictly on maturity in all aspects (emotionally, physically and spiritually).

When you reach a certain age in your life, you sometimes realize that what you always wanted isn’t really what you want anymore and I’m not talking about being fickle-minded. The desire you’ve always clamped to be a doctor, teacher or educator, actor, lawyer, dentist, banker or whatever may fall by the wayside when you uncover that your passion was idealized or that the daily grind of your career isn’t as gratifying as you had foreseen.

Maybe you actually loved your job as a teacher until you decided to have your own family and found that the long hours spent on your paper works socked a familial chord in you that just couldn’t be disregarded. Maybe you were a successful businessman or banker who realized that writing is actually your passion. Or you were a dentist who discovered that your ardour is of language and not of the chopper-teeth.

Whether you like it or not, you will be passing from one development stage of life to another. Sometimes you detour; sometimes you march through life crossroads. As we mature, our needs change. You may even notice that there is this inner call for change that steers you to deliberate those “What ifs?” thoughts that are bugging you.

If self-reinvention has been on your mind, defy yourself to a life evaluation. Whatever is vexing you the most (changing career, health, relationships, family, etc.) challenge yourself to fix and tend to it or them. Let’s say you’re on the verge of career transition; ask yourself these questions:
A) What’s important to you about your work and career? Is it the praise, the need to help others? The income?

B) What are you doing to actualize your goals? Would you rather invest in the time needed to embark on a new professional journey… or would you prefer to be stuck at the same gig for the next five or 10 (or more) years?

These queries will give you a clearer idea of the direction you should take for the next phase of your life. Snatch the bridles and track the path that you’ve always wanted to take.

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