I was watching a nature documentary as I do quite a lot and there was a part that followed 5 Cheetahs as they made a kill and began to eat. Everything was going fine until some Baboons came along and started harassing them. There was 2 Baboons, males and they wanted the Cheetah's kill. After a couple minutes the Cheetahs decided to give it up and the Baboons claimed the kill for themselves. The Baboons
ate some and after a few minutes the Baboons started to drag the carcass away and the narration stated that they were bringing it back to their troop to share it. The Cheetahs just watched them leave and didn't even try to defend their kill or put up a challenge.
Conversely, the some Baboons got a little too close to a Leopard's territory. The female Leopard had her babies hidden close by. The Leopard reacted in a completely different way. The Leopard started following the Baboons. The Baboons would hiss and take runs at the Leopard and the cat would back off a bit but keep moving forward. The Leopard followed the Baboons all the way into the Baboons territory and then into the heart of their colony. The whole way more Baboons joined the group but never launched a full out attack. It wasn't until at one point there were 40 male Baboons facing the Leopard that they finally launched an attacked. The Leopard was much faster and just ran away, finally retreating from the Baboon colony.
 |
| Clear example of the relationship between the two species. |
So, Why Did The Leopard Do That?
Originally, the Baboons were more than a match for the Leopard and the Leopard knew that but didn't care. The Leopard wanted to show the Baboons that they are not pushovers that slink away quietly with their tail between their legs. They wanted the Baboons to know that whenever they pushed the Leopards that they would push back in return. Leopards do this every time a Baboon gets to close to them or tries to steal a kill. They push as far as they can go without coming to harm themselves. It is a lot of effort and time expended but it proves their point showing the Baboons that they were not pushovers, even when highly outnumbered. Because of this Baboons have learned that Leopards are not to be trifled with and may not be worth the trouble confronting unless in high numbers.
What Does This Mean for a Man?
Nobody likes being wronged, in personal life or in business. Being a total pushover and just taking an insult or being screwed out of money or a promotion is not a good way to live your life. Allowing it to happen to you will train your mind that its OK and you will be more apt to allow it in the future. Everyone else will see you as a man that can be pushed around or belittled and others may start to do it to you as well. Your boundaries have to be clearly defined to everyone that aims to do you wrong. This doesn't mean that everything has to result in a fight but you have to show that you will push back whenever insulted or wronged.
Here's a link to the actual documentary
Clearly Define Your Boundaries
There are people out there that will openly insult you because they feel they can. Maybe they had a bad home life or you remind them of someone they don't like. It could also be that they are in a higher social standing or position at a job than you. You don't deserve to be insulted for any of those reasons. If this happens your boundaries must be made known. Your response could be simply saying, "Excuse me, I don't appreciate being insulted." It's non-confrontational and will make your feelings clear. If you are not around and this happens or you are screwed out of a business deal or money or a promotion, the same rule applies. Go to the person and tell them that you are aware what happened and that you don't appreciate it. If it happens again, do the same thing. The last thing to remember is to disengage before it turns into an argument or escalates physically. Ultimately, you are not there to argue or fight.
Final Words
Don't go out there after reading this article and actively look for any small insult someone throws your way. Be nice and courteous to the people around you and they will be nice back, especially people you consider friends. In short, don't start acting like a jerk to everyone but don't let someone get away with being a jerk towards you, show them you wont be pushed around. Sometimes, if its a small enough insult you still may just let it go once or twice but don't make it a habit.
No comments:
Post a Comment