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Crabs in a Bucket
292 Plays3 years ago
A single crab placed in a bucket will generally escape easily (although not without some irritation for having been placed in a bucket). However, if you put a group of crabs in a bucket, every time one of them tries to escape another will inevitably grab on to them and pull them back down. Sure, you’re thinking, it’s a real bummer to be a crab in a bucket, and you’re probably right. But it’s also a real bummer to be a person trying to progress, take chances, move up and forward, all things you are capable of doing, and yet have other people holding you back.
In this week’s Simple Step, we’re talking about the importance of who you surround yourself with. Are they encouragers? Cheerleaders? Motivators? Or, are you being held back from what you can truly do by other crabs in the bucket?
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Transcript
Defining the Uncommon Life
00:00:02
Speaker
Everyone dreams about living an uncommon life, but how we define that dream is very different for each of us. And for most, it's a lifelong pursuit.
Introduction to the Podcast: The Uncommon Life Project
00:00:11
Speaker
Welcome to the Uncommon Life Project podcast. We're going to introduce you to people who are living that life or enjoying the journey to get there. We're going to also give you some tools, tricks, and tips for starting or accelerating your own efforts to live an uncommon life, a life worth celebrating and savoring.
00:00:30
Speaker
Please welcome your hosts, Brian Dewhurst and Philip Ramsey.
00:00:36
Speaker
Hello and welcome, everybody, to another episode of the Uncommon Life Project. I love the intro from the voiceover. I just love that. I never really speak to it, but I just love it. Anyway, I'm your host, Phillip Ramsey.
Crab Theory Explained: Human Behavior and Limitations
00:00:48
Speaker
And I'm Aaron Kramer. And we are coming at you with a simple step, a quick snapshot, a quick idea that you can apply in your life. This one I'm super excited about, and I know Aaron is too. So exciting.
00:01:00
Speaker
So here is the philosophy, and it's called the crab theory or the crab mentality. What in the world is that? Well, here's the deal. You can, as a crab hunter, I don't know if that's what they call it, a fisher, do fishermen hunt crabs? Anyway, not the point, we don't have time for it, but they'll go out and they'll get a bucket full of crabs. And it can be two or three inches from the top that they can fill these crabs in this bucket. So picture this bucket filled with crabs two or three inches from the top.
00:01:29
Speaker
Crazy. They don't need a lid. I'm sorry. What? Right. They don't need a lid. Why? Because no crab can escape. This is why. Because every time a crab tries to escape, another crab will grab onto that crab to try to escape as well, and none of them escape. They don't need a lid, right? Yeah. So now, how do we apply that to our life? Yeah. What do you think?
00:01:53
Speaker
Well, who in your life is a crab? Yes, right, right. If you're in a bucket, who's in your life keeping you in the bucket? None of the crabs want to be in the bucket. News flash. Nobody wants to be in the cubicle of doom. I'm just going to be very honest. Sorry, Wells Fargo. But nobody wants to be in the bucket. Everybody wants to be out of the bucket. But nobody wants other people to be successful around them either. Right. So I'm going to go to Wikipedia, good old Wikipedia.
00:02:22
Speaker
Don't go often, but here we are. All right, so this is what they say about crab mentality, also known as a crab theory. Crabs in a bucket, basket or pot mentality. Or the crab bucket effect is a way of thinking of the best described phrase. If I can't have it, neither can you.
00:02:39
Speaker
The metaphor is derived from a pattern of behavior noted in crabs when they are trapped in a bucket. While any one crab could easily escape, its efforts are undermined by others, ensuring that the group collective is a demise.
00:02:54
Speaker
As such, the crab mentality shares such features in common with similar phononomom of a human behavior called the tall poppy syndrome. I don't know what that is, but let's just focus on the crab mentality. And then the analogy theory in human behavior is that the member of a group will attempt to reduce the self-confidence of any member who achieves success beyond the others out of envy, resentment, spite, conspiracy, competitive feelings, or halt their progress.
The Role of a Positive Environment in Success
00:03:24
Speaker
Wow. The crab mentality everyone. So who is around you? Who are you surrounding yourself with? And what are they helping you with? We always talk about jumping off the bridge. And I love this mentality of thinking, okay, I want people to help me up on the bridge and we'll say, Hey, is your parachute packed?
00:03:42
Speaker
efficiently? Is it packed effectively? Are you ready to go? And if they have that much worry, like, hey, can I just check your parachute one more time? Let me pack it one more time so you're ready to go. And I'm going to help you up on that bridge and I'm going to watch you jump. Yes. And I'm going to watch this uncommon life of yours unfold. And I'm going to be right there yelling for you and cheering for you on the west. Yes. And here's the thing that happens when somebody helps somebody out of the bucket.
00:04:07
Speaker
they can help them back out too. Like they can come back and have a handout for him. That's the crabbing theory. What other things should we talk about? We have like, we got like a minute left, so we got some time. Let's go. First of all, think of somebody in your life that's like
Financial Fears and Risk-Taking
00:04:21
Speaker
that. Like I know for me, the number one quality I think about and I see for someone that's going to hold you back or hold myself back in time are people that were too scared of the thought of loss of money. Oh, that's a good one. Just captured them. Right. And they're like, that's a good job.
00:04:37
Speaker
That's a good point. So their risk tolerance is prohibiting them to give you good advice because they don't have the risk tolerance that you might have. Yes. My advice is buying people that value life and value their things over money.
00:04:55
Speaker
Valuing living living living their life versus yeah now there's there's a slippery slope too, right? So we're not saying like hey throw caution in the wind don't have a plan jump No, we're saying like who are the people in your life? And what are they saying? Are they encouraging you to live to mystic? Yeah, are they optimistic are they pessimistic? I don't know what they are Yeah, but but I think it's a good exercise to focus on
00:05:19
Speaker
focus around you and what crabs are around you. Anyway, that's the crab mentality. Yes, let's go.
Pursuing an Uncommon Life with Uncommon Wealth Partners
00:05:26
Speaker
Hopefully this has encouraged you. You've been listening to the Uncommon Life Project. I've been your host, Philip Ramsey. And Aaron Kramer. And we are excited to be here, excited for you. Hopefully you guys go get it. Go be in common.
00:05:38
Speaker
That's all for this episode of The Uncommon Life Project, brought to you by Uncommon Wealth Partners. Be sure to visit uncommonwealth.com to learn more about our services. Don't miss an episode as we introduce you to inspiring people who are actively pursuing an uncommon life.