We can all understand not wanting to break out of our cocoon and become the butterfly. After all, our cocoon is safe and warm and even though we are this weird grey mush we don’t have to unfurl our wings and fly. Lots of cocoons never open. Lots of butterflies never enter the world. And that’s Ok I suppose. You do not have to become the butterfly you were meant to be.

In the natural world the caterpillar becomes the cocoon and then, in many cases, becomes the butterfly. It is a natural progression. It is going to happen. At no point does the caterpillar get to say, “I think I’m done now. I am going to stay right where I am. I have reached my full potential as a caterpillar and being a butterfly looks just too hard and exceeds my capabilities. So I will just sit back and be a caterpillar.”

We humans are the only living thing I know of that that can choose to not grow to its potential. Does the tree choose to stop growing? No! It may be stunted due to other issues but the tree will always grow as tall as it can, sprout as many leaves as it can, and bear as much fruit as it can. The caterpillar will always grow into a butterfly…that is its nature. This is the way of the world.

Sadly this is not the way of most people. We put limits on our growth. We decide not to grow into our full potential. We play small. We are afraid of being as powerful, as big, or as important as we were meant to be. We decide to not grow into butterflies, as matter of fact we decide not to even move into our cocoons. We are reluctant caterpillars.

The way of my people is to live up to and surpass our potential. The way of my people is to find their purpose and fulfill it. The way of my people is the path of constant and never ending introspection and growth. The way of my people is to face the scary stuff and move into the cocoon so we can be we were meant to be. The way of my people is to strive for more consciousness, more awareness, more knowledge, more growth and more of being us.

You can easily join us. Stop playing small. Start playing for it all. Stop stunting your growth. Start growing as tall as you can. Stop admitting to arbitrary limits that put a cap on your potential as a human. Start producing as much as you can. Stop settling for mediocrity. Start accepting excellence.

Join the tribe!

John Mariotti
www.crossfit-odyssey.com
www.sunday-stories.blogspot.com
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