What’s Your Shiny Object?

One of my favourite television programs was the 1986 “Shaka Zulu” serial. I particularly remember when the British intruders came with cheap merchandise from Europe and used it to gain favour with the valiant king. When Nandi, Shaka’s mother had died and the king had tried to save her with the “youth restoring” hair dye to no avail, the king was greatly disturbed and furious. The Zulu speaking European, unaware of the change of heart the king had experienced approached the king’s chambers only to be greeted with a question (paraphrased).

“How do you trap a monkey?”

“Ndabezitha?”
“How do you trap a monkey?” the king repeated.
“Umm, you find a goad that you fasten to a tree. Having made a tiny hole that only fits the small hand of the monkey; you place a shiny object in the goad. As long as the monkey holds the shiny goad, its hand will not fit out of the goad. When you come you will find the monkey there, trying to take the shiny object out.”
“Why will the monkey not let go?”, came the follow up question from the king.
“Because of its greed, Ndabezitha.”
“So what shiny object have you brought this monkey?”, came the ‘checkmate’.

Very often in life we behave like the monkey. We find a ‘shiny object’ and fail to properly weigh the relative value of that ‘shiny object’ to the rest of our lives. We hold on to things that destroy us with all we have. It could be a job, a toxic relationship, an idea, a town, or whatever that you are better off without.

This week, take time to think what shiny object you might be holding on to. Do you really need it? Are you not better off without it? Let go.