What is Your Snapping Point?

Speaking notes

You’ve probably heard the story of how to boil a frog.

If you put the frog in a pot of boiling water, he will jump out.

But if you put a frog in a pot of cool water and gradually turn up the heat, the frog will stay in until he boils to death.

My experience with frogs: They wouldn’t stay in the pot no matter what.

But the conventional wisdom from this story: You will adapt to gradual “crap” piling up on you until it eventually kills you.

But that’s not always true either.

There are some who are more afraid of change than “boiling to death.”

But most of us reach a point where we snap and say, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.”

So what is your snapping point?

And do you really want to wait until that point to take action?

The 13 American colonies were like the frog in the pot.

England kept turning up the heat with laws that were headed toward making them all slaves.

And just like the frog in the pot, it happened a little at a time.

If you’re like me, the story you remember from American History class is that everyone reached the snapping point and rose up to declare their independence.

The Declaration of Independence was written and we all came together for fight for freedom.

Truth: There was never more than 45% of the country in favor of the war.

And ⅓ of the colonists fought for the British army.

Depending on where you lived, you could have been the only one on your street in favor of freedom.

Think about these numbers: 30% of the people were willing to actively fight to remain on the path to eventual slavery.

And another 25% were willing to accept slavery in order to avoid conflict.

These numbers show you how much most people resist change.

Men and women will put up with horrible and unhealthy circumstances and conditions just because it’s familiar.

You’ll stay stuck in a toxic relationship or career because it’s familiar. 

You’ll stay stuck with toxic and unhealthy habits because changing feels like too much work.

The danger is that sometimes it’s too late once you reach your “snapping point.”

The frog in the pot will reach a point he can’t get out before he’s truly cooked.

You and I aren’t frogs in a pot.

When you’re in a bad place and it’s getting worse, you know it.

But most people are like that 25% of the American colonists who want to keep waiting and hope that things will get better if we just ignore the problem.

So how do you keep from getting cooked?

1. Decide what you want for yourself.
2. Start moving toward the life you want.
3. Don’t stop until you get there.

As a mindset coach, I help my clients with all three of these steps.

And the key to success is managing your thoughts, emotions, and energy.