In certain countries, hunters capture monkeys using a very simple but effective trap. They make a hole in a hollow tree and put a banana in it. The hole is big enough for the monkey’s hand to go in but not for its fist to come out. A monkey would then reach in and grab the banana. It then tries to pull its hand out while grabbing on to the banana to no avail. Its closed fist would be too big for the hole. For the monkey to be able to pull its hand out it has to drop the banana. But hunters are well aware that monkey wouldn’t let go of the banana and that the monkeys would rather end up in eternal captivity and sometimes death rather than let go of the banana.
What’s your banana?
One very important process life coaches and NLP practitioners do as a part of therapeutic processes is coaching clients through letting go of negative emotions such as anger, fear, guilt, hurt etc. I was life coaching a gentleman; let’s call him Barry, who had an issue with unwarranted anger. On a logical level he knew he had to let go of this anger but there was one thing stopping him from doing it. He believed that anger motivated him to perform better. Barry’s banana was anger. But what Barry didn’t know is that holding on to this unjustifiable anger might result in serious issues. A medical study published in the March issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, demonstrated a link between anger and sudden cardiac arrests. Be it Barry was unsuccessful in letting go of his anger, a cardiac arrest would’ve been a serious threat that would hunt and maybe kill him.
Who’s your hunter?
It’s not only anger that could cause you great harm. Take a moment to think what might be your banana. Is it a comfort zone that you don’t want to leave, is it a fake sense of happiness in an unhealthy relationship or is it greed and not having enough? What is it that you know is harming you but you are still not willing to let go of?
Once you’ve identified it take a moment and think, if you don’t open your hand and drop this banana now, what’s going to hunt and harm you? And knowing that, is it really worth hanging on to this banana anymore? Or is it time to let go now?
Drop it
Find out more about what letting go of negative emotions by reading a related post here. For more info get in touch. Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.
Until next time,
Tarek N
Copyright (c) 2009 www.TarekCoaching.com – Life coach London, London life coach, RESULTS Coach, Performance Consultant, Master Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
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That’s great. I’m from Birmingham and see the same attitude. Anyway, I will be back before too long.
Thanks Vivienne
Do come back!
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Hi, I have questions related to the post. Would you mind answering them if I ask here or shall I ask on email? Thanks.
Whichever way you prefer
You can ask here or email me.
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