The lesson of the “deaf-mute” little frog: Why your ears can be your greatest enemy on the road to the top
There is an old legend about a colony of frogs that lived in the heart of Paris, on the banks of the Seine. One day, the old king, wishing to be remembered as the most generous ruler in history, announced a decree that shook the entire kingdom:
“Whoever first climbs to the top of the Eiffel Tower will have one wish granted. Whether it is a crown, all the wealth in my treasury, or the hand of my daughter – my word is law.”
Thousands of frogs gathered in front of the iron tower. Competitors, reporters, skeptics, supporters, families, friends, and other observers. As soon as the signal was given, the crowd began to boil. But instead of support, the air was filled with doubt: “This is too hard...”, “It is impossible, we are only frogs...”, “The king is deceiving us, he only wants entertainment at the cost of our suffering...”
However, there were also those cheering the competitors on. But even their support was equally dangerous. They shouted: “Go on! You are the best! Look how slow your opponents are! Look at them, they are weak, they cannot do anything to you! You are faster than all of them!”
As the minutes passed, the frogs began giving up in large numbers. Some fell because they believed the skeptics that the climb was impossible. Others, the ones who had support, fell because they focused too much on their competitors. Listening to how others were “weaker” or “slower,” they started looking left and right instead of toward the top. They lost their own rhythm, their grip weakened, and they ended up in the mud of the Seine.
Still, one small frog kept climbing. Slowly, steadily, without a single glance to the side.
While the others were falling into the mud of the Seine, she became a smaller and smaller point on the horizon. Despite the noise, the mockery of those who doubted her, and the voices of those who kept comparing her with others, she reached the top.
When she came back down, she was met by silence, and then by a stampede of reporters and the king himself. Everyone wanted to know: how did she do it? What was the secret of her strength? What was her wish?
The king pushed through the crowd of reporters, ready to fulfill his promise, but noticed that the reporters were stepping back in confusion. He asked one of them who was packing his equipment:
“What is happening? What did she say? What is the secret of her success?”
The reporter simply shrugged and quietly replied:
“Your Majesty, she said nothing. She is deaf and mute.”
In our work, we are often that little frog. When we say that we want a transparent salary, fair treatment, and a work environment without toxicity, we hear voices from the “Dead Sea” shouting: “That is impossible,” “It has always been like this,” “You should stay quiet and endure it.”
Many candidates give up on their dreams because they believed in someone else’s projection of failure. Many employers stop investing in people because they have heard that “honesty does not pay off.”
Our message to you is clear:
To reach the top of your mountain, sometimes you must become deaf to other people’s opinions, to mediocrity, and to the fears of those who never had the courage to climb even the first step.
At Saint Michael’s agency, we do not listen to the noise of the crowd. We look at the top. We believe in your ability to rise, even when your environment tells you to remain in the mud.
When you have a goal, be like the little frog. Trust your grip, trust your strength, and be deaf to the impossible.
The first is the voice of those who say you cannot. The second, subtler and more dangerous one, is the voice of those who motivate you by comparing you with others.
When you are building your career or searching for a new job, it is easiest to fall when you constantly watch what your “opponents” are doing. If you listen to stories about how someone else succeeded through connections, how someone is slower or faster than you, or how the market is full of people who are worthless, you lose focus on your own goal. Your climb does not depend on how bad others are, but on how firm you are in your own intention.
At Saint Michael’s agency, we do not teach you how to be better than “bad candidates.” We teach you to be deaf to everything that is not your peak.
We believe true success comes when you stop measuring your progress by other people’s failures or successes. Be like the little frog: trust your grip, look straight ahead, and be deaf to every “impossible” and every comparison.
Your only competition is the person you were yesterday. Everything else is just noise at the foot of the tower.
