A friend wrote me to describe a documentary he had just seen on television. A cheetah has recently eaten and is not actively hunting. But he sees an antelope and her baby, so he decides, “Why not have some lunch?” (Apparently the Narrator spoke Cheetah)
The cheetah charges the pair, who separate, and then he goes after the baby antelope. The cheetah easily has the speed and power to capture his prey, but the baby antelope keeps running and running. Finally, the cheetah gives up the chase. Why? How could this be possible for the baby antelope to escape the terrible clutches of the mighty and speedy cheetah?
Because each animal had a different motivation. The antelope wanted to LIVE, while the cheetah just wanted some lunch. The cheetah could get lunch anywhere, so why work hard at it when he knew other opportunities would arise when he was hungrier?
This question of motivation is an excellent one for us as we decide what we want from our lives. Do you want to live, or do you want lunch?
Do you want to be angry and get your way for a moment—have lunch—or would you rather be loving and enjoy a happy life?
Do you want to manipulate someone for sex—lunch—or lovingly explore the possibilities of a rich and lasting relationship?
We make these decisions every day. What do you want—to live or have lunch?
Replace your anger & confusion with peace and happiness.
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