One reason why tough times are good for you

One day, I was watching a programme about an animal park. This particular episode was all about giraffes. Please bear with me, there is a point to this post I promise.

The park keeper was cutting up fruit into chunks but instead of feeding the giraffes, he put each piece into a large plastic bottle with small holes in it. He then strung the bottle up high in a tree. The giraffes had to stretch up and the holes were only large enough to allow the giraffes to stick out their long tongue, grab the fruit and then carefully guide the food out of the hole and into their mouth. They often dropped the fruit and had to start all over again.

I felt so sorry for them. I really didn’t understand the point in doing that to the poor things. I wanted to shout at the TV, “Just give them the fruit!”

As if the interviewer had read my mind, he asked the park keeper why he didn’t just give them the fruit instead of making them work so hard for it. He said, “If we made it that easy for them, they would get really bored, and a bored animal is an unhappy animal.”

Can you see where I’m going with this? Sometimes we complain when challenges come our way. We are naturally inclined to want to take things easy and have everything handed to us on a plate. But we forget how much we learn, grow and develop when we fight for what we want. Imagine life without having to fight for anything. Imagine if anything you ever wanted just dropped into your lap. Would you even value it? I think I’d die of boredom, wouldn’t you?

So next time a problem or challenge comes your way, don’t take it easy. Don’t see this situation as doom and gloom but see it as an opportunity for you to win. Roll up your sleeves and get stuck in and you’ll find that your life will be exciting and you won’t be like a bored giraffe.