Golden Eggs, Rotten Eggs

Golden Eggs, Rotten Eggs

You’ve heard the saying, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. This is meant to keep us from foolishly investing everything into one desired outcome. Sage advice. Now let’s look at the basket differently.

Think of the basket as you. And you are holding within you, three different types of eggs: regular, golden and rotten. They represent the many aspects of who you are.

The regular (white and brown) eggs represent your everyday tendencies. For example, the discipline it takes to get up in the morning to go to work, or the effort to do what you say you’ll do with ongoing commitments, or the commitment to high standards. The regular eggs also symbolize the level of self-esteem, presence and confidence that you bring to your life in a day-to-day basis. There is nothing extremely unusual about these eggs. They represent the every day you, that that most people see.

Then there are the glorious golden eggs that shine with rich luster and are full of promise. These eggs represent your truly outstanding qualities, your brilliance, your special talents and gifts, your fully expanded heart, and your powerful untapped potential that could be so enriching to your life and the life of others.

And then there are the rotten eggs. Oh dear, not the rotten eggs. No one likes them. They smell bad and threaten to spoil the good eggs around them. These are the things you don’t want to see and hope to God no one else will see. The rotten eggs might include things you’ve done that you’re ashamed of, feelings or impulses that are taboo, attitudes you know are destructive, hidden addictions and all manner of nasty stuff you wish wasn’t there.

We all have golden eggs and rotten eggs. If you think you don’t have golden eggs, you aren’t looking at your potential and are probably not reaching for all that you could be or do. You’re missing much of the joy and juicy excitement of being alive. If you don’t think you have any rotten eggs, you’re not owning your unseen, shadow side. Usually the more you try to deny your shadow, rotten egg side, the more powerful it is. It’s good medicine to acknowledge your rotten eggs.

Back to the basket. All the eggs are in the ONE basket that is you. When you acknowledge and hold your highest, your lowest, and everything in between, you’re on the way to becoming a whole, magnificent human being. If you are a leader, it’s essential to lead yourself through your own light and dark tendencies. By doing so, you’ll earn the respect of those you lead.

It’s a little known fact that when your eggs are integrated, you’ll be more effective in any role. You’ll find it much easier to engage in sustainable high performance, create balanced work-life choices, have happier relationships and find spiritual fulfillment.

Action Steps

1. Can you identify two or three of your golden eggs? (e.g. your special gifts, talents or qualities, the best and highest in you, your untapped positive potential)

  • How do you feel about your golden eggs? Do you hide them in any way? Are you reluctant to express them in your life?
  • Do you focus less on your golden eggs, than the golden eggs of others?

2. Can you identify two or three rotten eggs inside you? (e.g. things you may be ashamed of, unacceptable feelings or impulses, destructive attitudes, addictions)

  • How do you feel about your rotten eggs? Do you try to pretend they aren’t there? Do you focus on them too much?
  • Do you focus less on your rotten eggs, than the rotten eggs of others?

3. Is there one thing you could do to enhance your golden eggs?

4. Is there one thing you could do to take responsibility for a rotten egg?

5. Go to my new Enlightened Edge Facebook page and “Like” me. This is where I post links and refer to information that resonates with me, as I work with my own enlightened edge. It’s also a great way to stay in touch between newsletters.

If you need a speaker for your next event, give me a call or email. We can talk about possible topics and consider some themes from my book. If you want to discuss coaching for yourself or for someone in your organization, I’d be happy to spend some initial time on a no-fee basis, to see if I could be of assistance.

Barbara Bouchet
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