The Caged Parrot

Chichu is the name of my sister-in-law's pet parrot. He was found in a near dead state outside their home about 2 years ago, and since then she has cared for the little bird and nurtured him back to good health and beyond. He is now a family member. At a recent family get-together, I had the opportunity to observe Chichu from close quarters and learnt some life lessons. We were at a farm house and the family sat on the lawn and were having a conversation. My sister-in-law opened Chichu’s cage door, which was apparently a routine at home.

I watched intently but Chichu did not make any effort to come out. After a few minutes, he took some steps towards the door and with a deft use of his claws came out of the cage and climbed to the top of the cage. Here, he sat with his claws firmly gripping the bars of the cage. We could hear other birds around us and Chichu seemed to respond to a few bird calls. However, he made no attempt to fly. He did have an injury which would have prevented him from flying too far but he never seemed to try. If this was strange what followed was even more peculiar. When he felt threatened either by one of the relatives coming too close for his comfort or a loud sound, he took some quick steps towards the cage door and went into the cage. This movement was so reactive that I half expected him to close the cage door with his beak. (Of course, this did not happen). This routine happened a few times for me to realize that these were Chichu’s basic instincts.

Why did the bird not fly away? Doesn’t he crave freedom?   

I applied this observation as a metaphor to life and acquired a few insights into human behaviour.

Since I was viewing this scene from my perspective, I presumed that what I see as the world is how others perceive it as well. The parrot, which had never ventured out of the cage in its short life, believed that the cage and probably the immediate area around it was the world. Since he had never experienced freedom, it did not hold any value to him.    

We believe that what we see around us is the REAL world without realizing the perspective of others.   

Like the parrot, we hold on sometimes too tightly, to what we perceive as the reality. During our lifetime, we have acquired beliefs, formed perceptions and developed fears. Even when an opportunity presents itself, we tend to cling on to these inhibitors. Clinging to the cage is nothing more than making a choice to remain imprisoned by our fears. Even though we may have all the capabilities to grab that opportunity, we either lack the awareness or even if we do, the fear of the unknown is too great for us to let go of the comforts of the past and present.

We are prisoners of the environment in which we live.

It is said that convicts serving long prison sentences develop a fear of coming back to civil society. Freedom to a convict means coming out of the habitual comfort of a routine while in prison to a life, possibly filled with opportunities, but strewn with a lot of unknowns. A boat that never ventures into the sea will never be damaged but that’s not what boats are made for. Similarly, a human being who never dares to walk into the unknown will never get hurt but that is not what human beings were designed for. The tendency is to return to the known rather than face the seeming insecurity and discomfort of the unknown.

We would rather choose to be a prisoner than regain our freedom. It makes no sense but that’s how most of us operate through life.

When we feel threatened, our first instinct is to retract into our comfort zone. We never pause to consider other options, which seem so blatantly visible to everyone else but the person in question.

These human tendencies can lead to many difficult situations in professional life. Until a few years ago, working professionals could survive and even grow their careers by just following the same routine for years together. They believed that their knowledge of the job in hand was everything there was to know. They never felt the need to expand their intellectual horizons. The business world is very different now. Organizations expect their employees across levels to be innovative in their approach to work. Employees are expected to keep upgrading their knowledge of the job in hand and thereby become more productive. The advent of automation is threatening the very existence of employees performing routine tasks.

Holding on to the bars of the cage or retreating into it when threatened are no longer options available to working professionals today.

If you are a working professional today, it is important that you introspect on your strengths and leverage them effectively. Reflect on your weakness and either work on them or ensure they do not become an obstacle. Expand your horizons. Be aware of the changes happening in the world. Keep upgrading your skills to ensure you are still relevant.

Very importantly, leave your comfort zone and take flight into the unknown. That is where you will find your fortune.


Coach-Ram


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