“You were born with wings. Why prefer to crawl through life?”
~ Rumi

What this quotes means for business:
Are you a pigeon or a sparrow?

When I walk down the street, I’m always struck how these two birds react to my approach. The sparrow immediately flies away. However, many a pigeon will look at me from one eye while rapidly walking away. The pigeon can fly! Why doesn’t it?

That’s why I asked you if you were a pigeon or a sparrow.

You were born with amazing, beautiful gifts and talents in a combination that only you have. Are you making the most of them? Or are you hiding who you are, fearfully walking like a pigeon when you could just fly?

This is, I believe, at the heart of what Rumi is saying. Often times, in life and business, we tie our own hands behind our back and attempt to do things the hard way. There is no need to do this … so why do we?

It is like I’ve said in the post about why we don’t own our awesome: we’re afraid to dim the light of others, we’re somehow ashamed of who we are and what we can do, and/or we don’t realize our own gifts.

To use another bird analogy, many of us are living “ugly duckling” lives. We have spent our time with so many ducks that we have no idea that we are swans.

So I ask you … why aren’t you using your wings?