One day, walking through the woods, a man found out a little eaglet, who had just came out from the egg. Realizing that if he had gone away letting him there alone, he would be condemned to certain death, the man took the baby eagle at home and put him in a cage, along with some chicken.

The baby eagle grew up with them and, of course, learned to behave like a chicken: it scoured the ground for worms and insects, ate the seeds given to it by its owner, clucked and clucked, and if it flapped its wings it would not rise more than a few dozen centimeters.

Several months went by, during which time the eagle never doubted for a moment that he belonged anywhere but in his master’s yard, among the other chickens. Moreover, he was convinced that he himself was a hen.

Until, one day, looking up into the cloudless blue sky, he saw another eagle soaring majestically, almost without moving its robust wings…

The eagle suddenly realized what his true nature is. He realized that there were no obstacles to prevent him from flying, except those in his own mind, and, after a few attempts, he soared off into infinity, truly free.

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There is no doubt that most readers know this story, made famous by Anthony de Mello, and very much used in self help books, trainings’s, motivational speeches etc. I also used it in an article,long time ago.

However, what is less known is the effect that this thing had on the other animals in the court.

After seeing that their former mate of playing and seeding took flight, getting lost in the immensity of the sky, many chickens became aware of their sad situation and began to dream to become eagles.

Strange philosophies began to circulate, at first almost clandestinely, then more openly, arguing that every hen had an eagle inside her waiting to be released. “The condition of a hen is nothing but the result of limiting beliefs”, some hen-prophets argued, “change your beliefs, and heaven will be yours”.

All kinds of books emerged about this subject, with titles like “How to become an eagle in 30 days”, “Eaglecybernetics”, “Eagleactional Analysis,” “Miracles flight”, “Unleash the eagle in you” and so on.

For those who had money to spend, there were also seminars of CLP

(Chickolinguistic Programming) and audio and video courses where they could learn how to view the world from above, how to recognize the sounds of other birds (to enter in “rapport”), how to perceive the feeling of the wind in your wings (eagle state can not be achieved without focusing on appropriate sensory channels).

More interestingly, there was also a method of analysis (enneachickogram), which detected nine ways of being chicken, and consequently nine different paths to become an eagle. There also appeared some techniques such as Chickoemotional Balance and CFT (Chicken Freedom Technique) which taught you to tap on some points on the head and chest saying sentences as “I love and respect my wings”, just to overcome the fear of heights (the main obstacle in the development path to becoming an eagle).

A more enterprising hen than the others devised a multilevel marketing system consisting of a complex system of points that were earned by selling courses and seminars to other hens, arguing that moving up the system was the surest way to approach eagle status.

Those who attended a sufficient number of courses could become “associate certificate chickocoach” (ACC) and help others to go faster on the road of development.

Needless to say that when someone, in the total absence of any concrete results, expressed doubts about the meaning of the whole thing, he was immediately accused – by the more exalted and convinced – of being possessed by limiting beliefs and blocked by negative thinking.

Above all, he is constantly being told: “Remember our former comrade, who after a lifetime of being a chicken was able to fly; put commitment and faith, and you will succeed too.”

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Even if, as I said, I have used it myself, that little story has always annoyed me because it assumes that an eagle is better than a chicken and makes a stupid confrontation between two beings with different potentialities, talents and strengths.

And this is not to defend the less talented or the weaker, but to oppose an entire social system designed to produce perpetual dissatisfaction, lack of satisfaction by proposing impossible models to match and the adjacent industry that sells you “solutions” while you chase after these impossible models.

It’s the same mechanism that shows you who won a million in the lottery, and tryes to convince you that it can happen to you too.

It’s the same mechanism that shows you a testimonial superstar using a product, and tells you that if you buy that makeup kit (perfume / dress / earrings …) you are going to be like him.

It is the mechanism by which a society that has more and more becomes more and more dissatisfied and dissatisfied.

I, frankly, think an eagle is an eagle and a hen is a hen.

And I think there may be stupid eagles and superb chickens, and that a confrontation is absolutely meaningless.

And I believe that everyone should exploit their potential without being confronted with anyone other than themselves, especially with models imposed by someone whose sole purpose is to sell you their “solutions”.

Of course, I first believe – and all my work is based on this – that each one of us has fantastic potentialities, and I don’t miss the opportunity to remind people of this belief and to help people – as much as I can – to get in touch with these potentialities, so I first teach and apply psychological techniques that improve performance and help in personal development.

But when I see people striving to conform to impossible models, following the advice of “American dream” salesmen (often more confused than the disciples), I think that maybe someone needs to attract attention just to remember that each of us is unique, and has so many talents and opportunities that, if exploited, would leave no room for envy of others.

So, don’t follow the model, BE a model!

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The latest news from the hen-house confirms to me that some hens have gotten rich, others are still looking for the right technique to get up in the air, and others are waiting for the arrival of the Great Chicken who will get them out of their condition.

As far as we have found out, none of them have risen more than a few dozen centimeters from the ground…

Cheers,

Bruno