The Climb

the story of a teeny tiny lion cub

Leonard the lion cub entered into the tree climbing competition…

…but his size was the talk of the tribe!

Short Story

The annual lion cub tree climbing competition was just around the corner. The cubs lined up to enroll themselves in the race.

All cubs were growing at the same rate, well, all except Leonard. He was the teeny tiniest cub in town!

As Leonard joined the enrollment line, another cub said, “Hey shrimp, do you actually think you’ve got a shot?”

“Well, I sure do think I have a shot at winning, or at least placing second,” said Leonard.

“Ha! This kid actually thinks he has a shot at winning! He’s so naïve!” screamed one of the cubs while the whole clan laughed in unison.

“This race is for lion cubs, not kittens. Scram, little one!” yelled another cub while barely holding back his laughter.

Leonard felt embarrassed, but he stood in line and enrolled in the race

The ridicule lit a fire under Leonard. He was determined to win the race!

Every day until the race, Leonard practiced climbing trees for hours. He felt his body becoming stronger and his agility increasing with each climb. Soon enough, he was climbing in record time!

When the race rolled around, the other cubs ridiculed Leonard. But Leonard remained focused on his goal.

As the lion cubs waited impatiently for the results, the judges declared Leonard the winner! Because of his hard work, Leonard climbed the tree in 22 seconds! The cub that took 2nd place clocked in at 47 seconds.

While Leonard proudly wore his metal, the other contestants swept him off his paws. They carried him in the air while chanting, “Leonard! Leonard! Leonard!”

MORAL: Remain confident in yourself, even if you are different from others.

Personal reflection.

Leonard didn’t allow the mean- spirited comments about his size to get him down. Instead of feeling sorry for himself and walking away, he chose to prove himself to everyone and faced his challenge head on.

Because of his confidence and hard work, he prevailed. He won the race by a wide margin.

Like Leonard, almost everyone has a feature or shortcoming that others can easily tear apart.

Surprisingly, those who poke fun at others are generally trying to cover up their own insecurities by bullying someone else.

Maybe you think you’re too short, too fat, too thin, or too tall. To compensate for your insecurities, you likely seek approval from others. But you are the only person who can really make you feel good about yourself. All the complements in the world are of no use to a person who doesn’t believe them

Make today the day that you stop chasing approval from others.

Even if you are short, tall, fat, or thin, so what? Will this stop you from living a fulfilling life or chasing that promotion? It certainly shouldn’t.

Unfortunately, too many people allow their insecurities to dictate their worth. Don’t be one of these people; you can be the exception!

You are the boss of your life. And only you can determine whether you fail or succeed.

Chase every dream you have! Go for the girl, pursue that promotion, buy that house, or start your own business. With the proper amount of confidence and skill, the sky is the limit!

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. What are your unique assets?

2. What are your insecurities and what can you do to overcome them?

3. How do you respond to those who intentionally put you down?

A story about the value of pushing for what you want until you get it.

Ethan Elephant was just a child, as far as elephants go, but he was learning important elephant skills each day. Then, one day, he realized that all his cousins seemed to know things that he didn’t!

Would he be ostracized by his friends? Would they think of him as a baby? What could he do?

Short Story:

The elephant wildlands were always buzzing with activity, especially on bright, sunny days. Little Ethan and his elephant cousins would spend their afternoons playing in the fields until they were exhausted and thirsty.

As young elephants, they didn’t yet know how to siphon water with their trunks, so they always crouched down to the river and drank directly with their mouths.

One day, Ethan noticed that his cousins started squirting water into their mouths and he thought, “Awesome! I must be able to do that too!”

But when Ethan tried to do it, it wasn’t working out like it did for his cousins. Although he was a little disappointed, he spent the next few hours by the river trying to do it.

That’s when his mom yelled, “Ethan, time to come in for dinner!” But Ethan wasn’t ready. He was committed to learning how to drink like his cousins and said, “Not now, mom. I have to figure this out today!”

Sensing her son’s determination, she said, “Okay, let’s make a deal. If you agree to pick twigs and leaves for your little sister, I’ll give you two extra hours each day to practice.”

Ethan only liked grazing for himself but was willing to help his mom take care of his little sister. And with that extra time each day, he finally learned how to siphon and squirt water into his mouth.

The added bonus of Ethan’s determination was becoming seasoned at taking care of others. He felt so proud that he mastered two new skills by sticking to his original goal.

Moral: Perseverance often leads to unexpected wins.

Self-Reflection Questions:

Ethan was a pretty self-confident little elephant, but he lost a little of that confidence when he saw his cousins doing something he was unable to do. Still, he blocked negative self-talk and focused on working towards achieving it.

Instead of choosing to give up, Ethan showed strong conviction in his ability to conquer a challenge.

Many times, the feelings that you allow to take over gain control of the outcomes of the situations you encounter. By choosing to maintain positive thinking, you realize that the answers to each challenge you face become more and more apparent.

Developing one skill also expands your aptitude for everything else. You can achieve more goals by learning skills that are useful in other areas.

So, when one approach seems like it’s unable to provide the outcome you seek, be open to other options. Your persistence will pay off in the end. Not only will you achieve that goal but becoming proficient in one area will boost your self-confidence and propel you to success in other areas as well.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. Which of my goals am I most passionate about? How can I persevere to achieve this goal?

2. What are some encouraging things I tell myself when I feel like giving up?

3. What are some additional achievements under my belt as a result of persevering?

The Pursuit of Happiness A story about a small pup with big dreams

Chester the pup goes after his dreams and fulfills his destiny despite the doubters

Short Story

Chester was a tiny little Chihuahua. He was excited to start pup school, but he was also nervous because he had no idea what trade he wanted to pursue.

After months of waiting, he finally realized he wanted to be a guard dog.

Chester’s mom had given him all of the time in the world to choose what trade he wanted to learn. But her patience was wearing thin.

“Chester, have you decided what you want to do with your life? All of your brothers and sisters have already gone off to pup school and graduated. Why are you taking so long to blossom?” asked his mother.

“Mom, I want to be a guard dog,” Chester blurted out.

“Honey, you’re so small. You can’t be a guard dog; you’ll get eaten alive.” remarked Chester’s mother.

This lit a fire under Chester. He was determined to pursue his road to happiness, no matter how long and hard the journey may be. “Mom, I’ve made up my mind. I am going to be a guard dog,” said Chester before he skipped away.

The very next morning, he enrolled in pup school as a guard dog. His classmates were German Shepherds, Pit Bulls and only the toughest dogs. But Chester felt confident in his ability to succeed.

When he got home from school, Chester would exercise to build up his strength. It was tough, but he stuck to his guns. He knew he could do it.

At his final examination, he had to run an obstacle course in under 45 seconds. And, because of his hard work and small size, he was able to complete the obstacle course in 20 seconds!

Against all odds, Chester became a guard dog.

MORAL: Chase your dreams, regardless of how unlikely success may seem.

Personal reflection

Initially, Chester’s fear of failure kept him from pursuing his dream of being a guard dog. And, when he finally worked up the courage to follow his passion, he was criticized. Nonetheless, Chester stuck to his guns and achieved exactly what he set out to do.

He pursued his happiness and won.

Surely, you’ve encountered a situation where your lack of confidence has stopped you from chasing something you know you would love to do. However, if you don’t even try, you’ve already lost the battle.

Maybe you couldn’t give that executive your elevator pitch because you thought he wouldn’t spare a second to talk to you. Or you may have even opted for a “safe” college major rather than what you truly love to do.

It’s important to remember that every day is an opportunity to succeed. And pursuing your happiness can effectively be done just one step at a time.

If you want to be a doctor someday, the first step is showing up to class. If you want to work as a bridal consultant, the first step is handing out resumes. And if you want to start a family, the first step is trying to conceive with your spouse.

Once you take the first step, the ones that follow seem to fall into place!

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. Do I have the confidence to chase my dreams?

2. Have I sat down to truly define what my dreams are?

3. What is my day-by-day game plan in order to ensure my success?

Short story.

Sarah was on top of the world! She had recently graduated from college and landed a great job with an exciting company.

Even though her new job was in a city far away from her family and friends, she thought, “No problem. I’ll make new friends at work!” She was really looking forward to her first day on the job. It all started very well.

Everyone at the office was friendly. During the first week or two, almost everyone came by her desk to introduce themselves. Sarah was very happy to meet them and eager to please. Nearly every day, at least one of the nice people Sarah had met would call or e-mail her, asking if she would help them out with a little project – reorganizing files, stuffing envelopes, or other small things.

Hoping to make friends, Sarah always said, “Yes.” The projects started building up. Sarah took longer and longer to complete them until she just had too many to keep track of. Every day a couple of people would call her to check on their delayed projects. They always spoke angrily and were very upset with Sarah for being late.

She wasn’t making any friends at all! In fact, now no one seemed to like her! Sarah wondered how this could have happened – she had tried so hard to make everyone happy.

MORAL: Take on only what you know you can do. Say “no” when you should.

Personal reflection.

Oh, the people pleasers! We all know leaders and followers alike who try so hard to make everyone happy that they can’t satisfy anyone!

Are you one of those people who say “yes” to everyone? Do you feel that saying “yes” will bring you friends? If these thoughts ring true, reflect on this story carefully. It may help you pinpoint the basis of some frustrations in your life.

No one can do everything. Trying to be everything to everyone is a sure way to please no one and disappoint everyone, including yourself.

By saying “yes” to everyone, Sarah was was unable to focus on her own job, and she created an expectation of failure and unreliability among her coworkers. Not the way to make a great first impression!

There are respectful and thoughtful ways to say “no.” Learning those techniques and when to use them are important life skills.

Each of us has limits on our time and abilities. Knowing those limits is not a sign of weakness; instead, it signals great self-awareness and understanding.

If you really want to make friends and become a valuable member of a community, Sarah’s situation can remind you about what’s important in building relationships.

You may have to say “no” from time to time so when you say “yes,” you really mean it.

Being reliable and trustworthy will earn you the respect and admiration of those around you. Plus, you’ll gain a sense of accomplishment and worth.

Isn’t that what we all want from our relationships – trust, meeting expectations, a sense of accomplishment, and mutual respect? Knowing what you can and can’t do, and making those expectations clear, are important steps toward establishing healthy and comfortable relationships.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. Am I constantly overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to do?

2. Do I find myself agreeing to do “just one more project” when inside I’m really saying, “No! I can’t!”

3. Have I ever been told that I need to learn to say “no”?