The Tortoise And The Hare

Here's a look at Aesop's fable in a new light.

Grasshopper Notes are the writings from America's Best Known Hypnotherapist John Morgan. His podcasts contain his most responded to essays and blog posts from the past two decades. 

Find the written versions of these podcasts on John's podcasting site: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628038

"The Grasshopper" is the part of you that whispers pearls of wisdom that  seem to pop into your mind from out of the blue. John's essays and blog posts are his interpretations of these "Nips of Nectar." Others have labeled his writings as timeless wisdom. 

Most of the John's writings revolve around self improvement and self help. They address topics like:

• Mindfulness
• Peace of mind
• Creativity
• How to stay in the present moment
• Spirituality
• Behavior improvement

And stories that transform you to a wider sense of awareness that presents more options. And isn't that what we all want, more options? 

John uploads these podcasts on a regular basis. So check back often to hear these podcasts heard around the world. Who wants to be the next person to change? 

Make sure to order a copy of John's new book: WISDOM OF THE GRASSHOPPER – 21 Days to Creativity. These mini-meditations take you inside where all your creative resources live. And you'll come out not only refreshed but recommitted to creating your future. 

It's only $16.95 and available at BLURB.COM at the link below. https://www.blurb.com/b/10239673-wisd...

Also, download John's FREE book INTER RUPTION: The Magic Key To Lasting Change. It's available at John's website  https://GrasshopperNotes.com

Transcript

The Tortoise And The Hare

If you haven’t heard Aesop’s fable “The Tortoise and The Hare,” you, my friend, have lived a sheltered life, perhaps in a shell.

One moral gleaned from the original story is the race doesn’t always go to the swiftest.

Let’s take a look at the tortoise and the hare from a different angle.

My notion is that we are both the tortoise and the hare, but we believe we are only one of them. If I may dare say it, our mantra is: “That’s the way I am.”

I haven’t yet completely outgrown my bristle to that phrase, mainly because there’s a part of me that still believes it – The tortoise part.

The tortoise is always looking for the safe way where there are no potential bumps and bruises. This causes the tortoise to retreat to his shell, and if that’s all he does, he becomes shellshocked.

The hare gets us out there. It’s the more adventuresome part of us that takes risks.

I would say we need to balance the two parts of us but that would be inaccurate. Perfect balance means a stalemate. But if you’ve labeled yourself as one or the other, and it’s not working for you, you require a new mixture of these two parts.

Abandoning your shell is too risky for most and it’s not the way I would recommend. I think inching out of your shell and experiencing the outside world a bit at a time builds confidence that you can function out there. It will lead to further excursions and perhaps even vacations away from your shell.

The hare is running away from home. It’s our free spirit wanting to see all that it can see. It often takes us too far out on a limb for a better vantage point of those new vistas, and we experience our share of avoidable crashes and burns.

If you have labeled yourself as one of these characters, you’ve missed an opportunity to discover that other part of you.

It’s fun to be both and it’s less limiting because the tortoise gets to see new things and the hare finds the comfort of home.

The prescription for the tortoise is: Stick your neck out; the way home for the hare is to sit out a race or two.

If you want to win the rat race, it does go to the swiftest. If you want to be the “Biggest Loser,” in the truest sense of the phrase, eat nothing but turtle soup.

If you want to live a fuller life, give up the idea that you are one or the other, and seek out the complimentary part of you, which allows you the flexibility to live out the famous phrase: “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

All the best,

John