Out of The Maze

 

Out of the Maze by Dr. Spencer Johnson, is a short but excellent read. The sequel to the book, Who Moved My Cheese, the author goes into detail how people can get out of the maze. The maze in the context of the book, refers to people’s beliefs that are trapping them in their current situation. Beliefs are very important and are at the core of a human being. It’s one aspect that people overlook when it comes to things like success, as we have been told success usually involves long hours of hard work and passion. For example, if you believed all your life the world was round then discovered it was flat, that new belief will change your whole perspective. It challenges everything you have known till then and you question everything you know. Changing your old beliefs is a sort of rebirth and you discard the old and embrace the new.

In the book, the author has outlined various tips of how to get out of the maze you are in. These tips are:

·Notice Your Beliefs

A belief is a thought you can trust is true. Whatever thoughts you believe in firmly; will shape the person you are becoming. Young elephants at the circus are pegged down to a pole using a strong rope that restricts their movement. They try to move but to no success. Over time, they accept they will be forever restricted. When they are big and strong and have more than enough power to break the rope, they still believe the rope will hold them down.

· Don’t Believe Everything You Think.

Sometimes “Facts” are just how you see things. Everyone at some point in time can swear to certain opinions to be facts but later on, were proven false. Therefore, not everything you think is certain is true.

·Let Go of What Isn’t Working

You can’t launch a new quest with old baggage. In order to move forward, you must let go of what is dragging you behind. More often than not, these are your beliefs.

·Look Outside the Maze

Consider the unlikely – Explore the Impossible. For eons people thought planes, cars, phones etc were impossible and unrealistic till they were proven wrong by their inventors. A change of perspective can make the impossible seem possible

·Choose a New Belief

Changing what you think doesn’t change who you are. Just because you have discarded your old beliefs and adopted new ones, it does not mean you have changed who you are as person. If you are a kind person, changing your old beliefs will help you channel your kindness in a more suitable way. This is an important step as the new belief will add to the core of your personality, so if you choose wrong beliefs, you will end up worse than you started.

Thanks for reading all the way to the end.