Recently, I read a story about the “Monkey Trap” which attempts to explain the way we always stubbornly hold on to things we shouldn’t hold on to. I would like to share this with all of you.
In certain parts of the world a common method of capturing monkeys is to use their own instincts against them.

A simple basket is set-up with a piece of banana or other fruit placed so that it can be seen across the weave of the basket. The monkey steps into the basket and puts his hand through one of the openings. The monkey grabs the fruit, but when trying to retrieve it; his closed fist is too large to make it through the opening.

Of course, the monkey could simply open its fist and abandon the fruit to free itself from the trap, but it stubbornly holds the fruit in its closed fist until the trappers come around to capture it.

• How often are we trapped by stubborn behavior similar to that of the monkey by holding on to things we shouldn’t hold on to?
• In team settings we stubbornly hold on to our opinions without being open to the ideas of others.
• We hold on to the first solution to a problem without exploring alternate approaches that could potentially bring better results.
• We also hold on to destructive behaviors; instead of letting go, and obtaining the freedom that comes from such a release.

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