Five Monkeys

by Emmanuel Manolakakis

Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the monkeys with cold water.

After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all the monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasum! Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a forth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked.

Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have been sprayed with the cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that’s the way it’s been always been done around here.

And that, my friends, is how and where problems begin in a society, a company, and in life.

Russian Martial Art Training Articles

by Emmanuel Manolakakis

The Seven Principles of Systema Breathing
Consider your partner
Laugh at Yourself
Stick to it!
Five Monkeys
Shoulders To Consider
Youth And Systema
Check Your Gauges
The Distance
Multiple Attackers
Working the Wall
Rolls & Falls
Non-Contact Training
Training The Legs
The Squat
Get Focused
Give Yourself A Mission
Precision
Keeping Your Vision In Check

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