ARE YOU A DUCK OR EAGLE?

By MoriEl Randolph | November 30, 2007

In the world of fowls, Ducks and Eagles are opposites in nature. In essence, Eagles sore, while Ducks, though they can fly, have a tendency to stay very close to earth.
You find Ducks floating about on a lake or wherever they may find calm waters. When watching them, it appears as if they're just sitting there. However, if the water is clear enough, many times you can see their little webbed feet paddling away. They are extremely passive fowl, not very assertive or aggressive.

Whatever they eat has to be close to the earth also, or under water, such as insects, fish and plants. The Eagle, however, is a predator. It's the lion of the fowl world. You won't find an Eagle settling for insects and plants. They go after much bigger game. In fact, the Bald Eagle eats Ducks. When they get their claws into something, they don't let go until they can place their prey on a solid, secure surface. I think both Ducks and Eagles are beautiful creatures, and I appreciate them both.

Metaphorically speaking, humans are either Ducks or Eagles. Have you ever approached store employees for help with finding something only to receive a somewhat glazed look, accompanied by shoved shoulders, as they sit, turning their heads slowly from side to side, indicating they have no clue or the desire to put forth the effort to find out?

If you have, the employees whose help you sought were Ducks. Hence, in this instance, you have your "Sitting Ducks." You see, an Eagle could not respond in that manner, even on a bad day. Eagles are self-driven individuals. Using our above example, an Eagle, after admitting that he or she wasn't sure of the answer to your question, would have either picked up the store's phone to contact someone who could help you, or escorted you to the appropriate person.

Ducks do just enough to get by. People who are Ducks have no problem getting paid for doing nothing, if they can get away with it. Ducks look at a challenge and say it can't be done. Eagles look at a challenge and say there's got to be a way. When you call the customer service department of a business you patronize and the service representative is telling you how something cannot be done, don't get frustrated or raise your voice to the representative. You may be dealing with a Duck. Simply ask the representative for their name and then ask for a supervisor. More than likely the supervisor will be an Eagle.

I say that because most people in leadership positions got there by being Eagles. In my experience, it is extremely rare to get a supervisor who quacks. You also won't find an Eagle in a dead end job. Because Eagles don't settle, they move up. Employers promote Eagles. Why? Because they take esteem in whatever they do and therefore do a great job.

Smart employers will do whatever they can to keep an Eagle happy, because they know that Eagles are hard to find.
Think about the above question, "Are you a Duck or an Eagle?" If you are honest enough with yourself to answer that question accurately, you can move on to becoming whatever you want to be. Unlike real Ducks, human Ducks can become Eagles.

If you have examined yourself and come to the conclusion that the problems you've had with your manager or your co-workers may have been due to your duck mentality, then Congratulations! You have reason to celebrate.

Huh? What?

Yes, Celebrate! You've just discovered that your future success in your present job is totally within your control. Therefore, you don't have to go through what it takes to find a new job; you can stop complaining. You don't have to be concerned about what anyone else is doing. That's Wonderful!

If the problems were outside of yourself, you wouldn't have control over them. There would be little if anything you could do. For example, if the problem was a manager who disliked you for some reason and treated you unfairly, what could you do?

You certainly don't have control over the manager, unless you came across some dark secret of his, forcing him to give you control or else! However, since this article is not based on fiction, let's just stick with what's usually the case.

The fact is we don't have control over what other people do or think. Only if other human beings give us control, for whatever their reasons, do we have any power over them. So if the person is not small enough to pick up and carry away, forget about it. Even then it's hard to do if it's an unwilling participant.

If you are your own problem, you can control you, unless, you prefer to sit around complaining and blaming everybody else for your problems. If that's the case and you are content to remain a Duck, it's your choice and your life, just keep in mind that some Eagles eat Ducks.

There's no doubt about it, going from Duck to Eagle will require a great deal of effort on your part. Nevertheless, it can be done if you want it bad enough. If you determine that you're a Duck, then you simply need to do whatever it will take to develop into an Eagle, and it starts with being honest with yourself.

The ability to take an honest look at ourselves is a very powerful ability indeed, but sometimes we need help. Have you ever considered the fact that we as human beings would not have a clue as to what our faces looked like if it were not for the aid of something outside of ourselves? No human has ever looked directly on his or her own face, except via a reflection from something outside of themselves.

So imagine how hard it must be to honestly see ourselves from within without outside help. Anyone with a discerning eye can see you better than you can see yourself. The question is will they care enough to honestly tell you what they see? Hopefully, there are those in your life who would. Of course, once they do, the rest is up to you.

If it comes to light that you are indeed a Duck, and you don't accept it and endeavor to change, then neither will your circumstances. You will simply go from job to job, only to experience the same things over and over again. Because, no matter where you go, you will always be with you.

However, if you accept the truth and develop into an Eagle, chances are, you won't experience the same problems, at least nothing you can't handle, because your focus will be on your job. When a person is determined to earn their pay, they will always find something to do. If they can't find anything, they go to their employer or supervisor asking for work. They are not comfortable getting paid for doing nothing. Think of the respect that type of attitude would warrant from an employer. The bottom line is: Eagles soar, Ducks don't. So what are you, a Duck or and Eagle?

For information on books, seminars and other services provided by MoriEl Randolph click here for more inspiration and motivational resources.

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