There’s an ancient Chinese proverb I recently heard that I love: Three men make a tiger.
The story goes like this:
A minister approached the king and asked, “If one person came to you and claimed there was a tiger in the marketplace, would you believe it?”
The king scoffed, “No, of course not.”
The minister continued, “What if two people claimed there was a tiger in the marketplace?”
The king hesitated. “I might begin to have some doubt.”
Finally, the minister asked, “And what if three people all insisted there was a tiger in the marketplace?”
The king frowned. “If three people claimed it, I would believe there’s a tiger.”
The minister bowed and said, “Your Majesty, there is no tiger in the marketplace, yet with enough voices, even the most absurd claim can seem true.”
This proverb illustrates something fascinating: repetition creates the illusion of reality.
The Illusory Truth Effect: When Lies Become Truth
Psychologists have a name for this phenomenon—the Illusory Truth Effect. It’s the idea that the more we hear something, the more likely we are to believe it, even if it’s completely false. Our brains take shortcuts, and one of those shortcuts is: If I’ve heard it before, it must be true.
Think about that for a second.
This means that the beliefs you hold about yourself, your career, your worth, and your abilities may not actually be yours. They may just be echoes of what you’ve been told over and over again.
And if those beliefs are holding you back, it’s time to examine where they came from.
The Mountains You Were Told to Climb
From childhood, we’re handed a blueprint for life. Study hard, get a good job, make money, climb the ladder. Society says this is the mountain you should climb. And because we hear it so often, we don’t even stop to question if this mountain is one we actually want to summit.
If you’ve ever found yourself successful on paper but feeling unfulfilled, this might be why.
Here’s the hard truth: Just because a mountain is there doesn’t mean you have to climb it.
The Stories You Tell Yourself
The most dangerous tigers aren’t in the marketplace. They’re in your head.
Maybe you’ve told yourself:
- I’m not good enough.
- I don’t deserve this success.
- I’m just lucky—one day, they’ll realise I don’t belong here.
- I should be further along by now.
These thoughts, repeated often enough, become mental tigers. They chase you, exhaust you, and make you play small.
But here’s the thing: they’re just stories. And like any story, they can be rewritten.
The Wisdom in the Pause
I’m not saying you should ignore everything the world tells you. Sometimes, if three people say there’s a tiger in the market, there might actually be a tiger.
But the real wisdom lies in pausing before you automatically believe.
Ask yourself:
- Who told me this?
- Why do they believe it?
- Does this belief serve me, or does it keep me stuck?
One of the most powerful things you can do is cultivate an independent mindset. Question the assumptions you’ve been handed about what success looks like, about what you’re capable of, about who you are.
Because at the end of the day, the marketplace is yours to walk freely in. And most of the tigers? They’re just shadows cast by voices that never stopped to ask if they were true.
Remember, you can unleash your unique version of success!
Your Coach
Stephanie
Ready to Ignite Your SPARK?
As a Certified High Performance, Wayfinder and Imposter Syndrome Informed Coach, I’m here to support you on this transformative journey. Whether it’s in your career, health, or relationships, my coaching programs are designed to help you achieve heightened and sustained levels of performance and potential. Are you ready to embrace these inner shifts then let’s embark on this journey together!
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