You may have heard the story of a bucket of crabs before.
If not, you’re in for a treat as this story is one that I think about often – not just when it comes to working out and eating healthy.
I think of it when it comes to my business, my family, and my personal goals.
Here’s the story…
I was walking on a beach in the Florida panhandle and noticed several crab fisherman casting their nets.
As I walked by I noticed they had these 5 gallon buckets full of crabs. There was a little water in the buckets and they would keep putting the crabs on top of each other in the buckets.
As I continued walking by, one crab fisherman in particular seemed focused on his nets and the task at hand. I didn’t think he realized that the crabs were about to crawl right out of the bucket as it had no lid.
For some reason I was drawn to this and I decided to tell the fisherman that he was about to lose his crabs.
The fisherman turned around to face me. He looked down at the bucket full of crabs and said, “Oh, they won’t go anywhere. If I just had one crab in there it could easily crawl out. But if you put more than one crab in a bucket… well they won’t let anyone get away.”
As he talked to me, I stared into the bucket. And sure enough, as one crab climbed to the top of the bucket and was about to reach the top… the other crabs pinched at him and pulled him back down.
I laughed and was amused that all of the crab’s “friends” were working against him.
And that’s when I realized something…..
We all have crabs in our life.
That person or group of people that don’t want to see you succeed.
The friend, well-meaning or not, who laughs at you when you tell her you’ve joined a new personal training program.
The person that scoffs at your efforts to become better by attending a weekend workshop.
The family member that sabotages your new healthy eating routine by bringing sugary, fatty, and bad foods into the house.
That friend that manages to wedge himself between you and your spouse.
Your co-workers who now talk behind your back because you got a promotion and they didn’t.
We all have crabs that want to keep us where we are – not because it’s good for us, but because it makes them feel better about themselves and where they are.
Bettering ourselves in any capacity (health, career, parenting…) is not for the faint of heart. It takes commitment, determination, encouragement, and a steadfast resolution.
Never let the crabs pull you away from your goals and your dreams.
When you think of your life a year from today… where do you want to be?
Pursue that vision at all costs. Don’t let the crabs in your life pull you down.
Removing the crabs completely from your life isn’t always an option…especially when they’re family or in your group of friends.
So take the next best step and add some positive people into your life.
People that share your vision and support your pursuit of something better.
There IS a community of these awesome people who support one another and help everyone get better.
It’s called No Limits Fitness.