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Abstract

t.”</blockquote>My sister told me this story yesterday after I was complaining about the pressure I had at work to move ahead and get promoted. I found it profound, and I wrote down three lessons from it.<h1 id="873f">#1. Don’t Compare To Others</h1>Everyone in this world works based on their own time.Life is about knowing the right moment for us to give birth to our ‘baby’. And the ‘babies’ of others have nothing to do with ours.And ‘babies’ here might be work, science, art, a side project, a book, a home, a relationship, or even a real human baby.If the elephant gave birth to her baby in three months, it would not survive.So, relax. You’re not early. You’re not late. You are very much on time.Say to yourself: ‘My time is coming, and when it hits the surface of the earth, people will stop in admiration.’<h1 id="eeaa">#2. Don’t Judge Anyone</h1>Just because something works for us, doesn’t mean it works for everyone. For the dog it works to give birth in three months, but not for the elephant.The people around us are in different timezones and our judgment has no place in their journey. We sometimes think we know what’s right. We rarely do. But even if we have figured it out in some areas, we have done so only for us, not for ev

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eryone.We shouldn’t point out the delays of others. And we shouldn’t ask questions that aren’t our business.They might be carrying the weight of an elephant, and we wouldn’t even notice because we are busy playing with our puppies.<h1 id="d652">#3. Numbers Are a Fake Metric</h1>Just because the dog had a lot of puppies, doesn’t make her more successful than the elephant. Her babies will grow up to be one of the smallest animals who live a short life.While the baby elephant will go ahead to become the biggest mammal on earth, and live of up to 70 years.In a world where we are being measured by the number of followers, the number of our projects, or the number in our bank account, this perspective was a wake-up call.Sometimes the numbers are high, and we feel proud, but they are just some puppies. And sometimes they are low, and we despair, but they are an elephant.And they can shake the world in a single step.P.S. Just in case, I need to put this on the record. I have nothing against dogs or puppies. Actually I dearly love them, like all animals. I hope it’s clear that we are using a metaphor in this story. Because it would break my heart if anyone thought even for a second that I find puppies anything less than precious and adorable.</article></body>

3 Lessons From The Pregnant Dog And Elephant Story

#3. Numbers Are a Fake Metric

An elephant and a dog became pregnant at the same time.

Three months down the line the dog gave birth to six puppies. Six months later the dog was pregnant again, and nine months on it gave birth to another six puppies. The pattern continued.

On the eighteenth month the dog approached the elephant questioning:

“Are you sure that you are pregnant? We became pregnant on the same date, I have given birth three times to a couple dozen puppies, and they are now grown to become big dogs, yet you are still pregnant. What’s going on?”

The elephant replied:

“What I am carrying is not a puppy, but an elephant. I only give birth to one in two years. When my baby hits the ground, the earth will feel it. When my baby crosses the road, human beings will stop and watch in admiration. What I’m carrying is mighty and great.”

My sister told me this story yesterday after I was complaining about the pressure I had at work to move ahead and get promoted. I found it profound, and I wrote down three lessons from it.

#1. Don’t Compare To Others

Everyone in this world works based on their own time.

Life is about knowing the right moment for us to give birth to our ‘baby’. And the ‘babies’ of others have nothing to do with ours.

And ‘babies’ here might be work, science, art, a side project, a book, a home, a relationship, or even a real human baby.

If the elephant gave birth to her baby in three months, it would not survive.

So, relax. You’re not early. You’re not late. You are very much on time.

Say to yourself: ‘My time is coming, and when it hits the surface of the earth, people will stop in admiration.’

#2. Don’t Judge Anyone

Just because something works for us, doesn’t mean it works for everyone. For the dog it works to give birth in three months, but not for the elephant.

The people around us are in different timezones and our judgment has no place in their journey. We sometimes think we know what’s right. We rarely do. But even if we have figured it out in some areas, we have done so only for us, not for everyone.

We shouldn’t point out the delays of others. And we shouldn’t ask questions that aren’t our business.

They might be carrying the weight of an elephant, and we wouldn’t even notice because we are busy playing with our puppies.

#3. Numbers Are a Fake Metric

Just because the dog had a lot of puppies, doesn’t make her more successful than the elephant. Her babies will grow up to be one of the smallest animals who live a short life.

While the baby elephant will go ahead to become the biggest mammal on earth, and live of up to 70 years.

In a world where we are being measured by the number of followers, the number of our projects, or the number in our bank account, this perspective was a wake-up call.

Sometimes the numbers are high, and we feel proud, but they are just some puppies. And sometimes they are low, and we despair, but they are an elephant.

And they can shake the world in a single step.

P.S. Just in case, I need to put this on the record. I have nothing against dogs or puppies. Actually I dearly love them, like all animals. I hope it’s clear that we are using a metaphor in this story. Because it would break my heart if anyone thought even for a second that I find puppies anything less than precious and adorable.