How The Humble Ant Can Help You Overcome The Greatest Robber Of Your Potential

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 26th, 2010

Copyright 2006 Colin De Silva

If I do my job right in this article, the next time you see a column of ants you'll think of the powerful message I'm about to lay on you.

This is an adaptation of James Rohn's The Ant Philosophy of Life, and do please keep reading because those pesky little blighters can sure teach us some.

Lesson #1 - Ants Never Quit

Yep, they know where they're headed and if you try to stop them they'll look for another way. They'll climb over, they'll climb under and they'll climb around. They keep looking for another way. What's more, they do all of this of their own volition.....they don't need a "sergeant ant" yelling order to them. What a simple and uncomplicated philosophy, to never quit looking for a way to get to where you're supposed to go.

Lesson #2 - Ants Actively Think Ahead & Provide For Rainy Days

Put another way, ants think "winter" and summer. They know summer will never last, so they are constantly storing for the "not so good" times.

Lesson #3 - Ants Gather All They Possibly Can

How much ants will gather during the summer to prepare for the winter? Answer: All they possibly can because in the ant world there is no benevolent government to ladle out the surplus.....unemployment benefits don't exist in the ant world. Everyone is expected to pull their share.

What an incredible philosophy, the "all-you-possibly-can" philosophy.

Now ants do not suffer from the frailty known as the "the enemy within"....but we humans do and debilitating condition has five separate and dangerous offshoots.

At the start of yet another year we should be aware of the enemy within.

#1 - Indifference

The first "enemy within", which you've got to destroy before it destroys you, is indifference - the tragic "no problems or it will be OK" curse. Go read Ant Lesson #1, for our ant bothers aren't indifferent; they know very well what they must do. Now, indifference usually exists where there is a lack of clarity......so for the remainder of 2006, strive to bring absolute clarity to everything you do, and this definitely includes your general communication with others.

#2 - Indecision

The second "enemy within" is indecision, the thief of opportunity and enterprise. It will steal your chances for a much brighter future by strangling you with a myriad of stressful "what if" scenarios. Have you ever seen an ant who is suffering from indecision?

#3 Doubt

The third "enemy within" is doubt. Many people doubt the past, doubt the future, doubt each other, doubt the government, doubt the possibilities and doubt the opportunities. But, worst of all, secretly they doubt themselves. I'm telling you, doubt will destroy your life and your chances of success. It will empty both you bank account and your heart. Doubt is an enemy so learn from the mighty ants, who are in no doubt about what must be done.

#4 - Worry

The fourth "enemy within" is worry. Sure, it's smart to carefully weigh up the situation, make a decision and then violently execute that decision. But, there's nothing to be gained worrying about all the permutations and combinations once matters are in play. As best we know, ants don't worry because they've got a pretty good game plan with the "all-you-possibly-can" philosophy.

#5- Timidity

The fifth "enemy within" is timidity or over caution. Look, timid people get creamed in the marketplace. You've got to know what you're good at and be good at telling anyone who'll listen about your talents and what you can do for them. A timid, over cautious ant, by genetic design, won't last long in the colony.

So, in 2006....come to grips with the "enemies within", which are much bigger robbers of opportunities than the enemies on the outside.