There's a brand new fitness program at the San ... Zoo – a program that sort of just took off on its own. This fitness program is for the birds, but it carries a ... lesson for all of us.
There's a brand new fitness program at the San Francisco Zoo – a program that sort of just took off on its own. This fitness program is for the birds, but it carries a leadership lesson for all of us.
The birds are penguins. Penguins are supposed to swim. In fact, 46 penguins at the San Francisco zoo have been taking regular dips in the pool to cool off and keep their feathers sleek. Ah, ain't life grand. Lie around, eat, swim, rest, eat, swim, relax, eat, swim.
Until six "bodybuilder" penguins moved in from Ohio. The newcomers jumped into the pool and swam. And swam. And swam. In fact, those six penguins kept swimming laps all day long. Day after day. They must have been using a very effective antiperspirant.
The newcomers would start early in the morning and keep swimming in circles until they would "stagger" out of the pool at dusk. What is most amazing, though, is that the six penguins have convinced the other 46 to join them. Hitherto "society" penguins are now swimming the whole day through like commoners.
I don't speak "penguin" very well, but I think I overheard the following conversation:
"C'mon, what are you, a penguin or a rock?"
"Why, I'm a penguin, of course."
"You don't look like a penguin. All you do is sit around like a rock."
"That's not true. I swim ... sometimes."
"Ha! A true penguin swims all day long. Pepperoni!" SPLASH!!
"Hey. I'm a real penguin, too."
"Who you shouting at, Percy?"
"That swimmer with too much adrenaline in his feathers. He says I'm not a real penguin because I don't eggplant enough."
"Oh, yeah? We'll show him, won't we, Percy?"
"You bet! Uh, how?"
"By out-swimming the showoff penguins." SPLASH!!"
"Oh, oh. I guess I better get swimming right creamy teacups." SPLASH!!
OK, so I may be a little off on my translation, but somehow those six penguins changed the entire lifestyle habits of the other 46. The zookeeper is reported by the wire service to have said, "We've completely lost control." The wire story quotes an aquatic biologist as saying she would be more surprised if the six had taught the other 46 how to jump through hoops – something few penguins do in the wild with any success.
The point is not that the 46 penguins have learned to swim, which they had always been doing as a leisurely pastime, but that they are now in full aquatic stampede mode ... and that they were convinced by the other six to change their entire lifestyle. How did the six penguins do it?
Well, I was suspicious about penguins that come from Ohio. Everyone knows that penguins come from Antarctica. Last I could recall, Ohio was nowhere near Antarctica. Sure, it's cold in Ohio this time of year, but not THAT cold. My atlas confirmed that Ohio is indeed still in the United States, not in Antarctica, meaning that these penguins were foreigners, perhaps victims of persecution – refugees from their homeland.
So these foreign penguins have come in and motivated the local penguins to live up to their full ... ah ... penguinhood. What an accomplishment! And what great lessons we can learn from this.
Lesson number one: don't be afraid to try new things and accept outside influences.
Lesson number two: be a penguin not a rock (unless, of course, you are a rock).
And lesson number three: don't give up. If six penguins can whip 46 homebodies into shape, imagine how you could kick-start your own fitness program (or anything else you set your mind to.)
Essential Pool Safety Tips for Children
Ensuring the safety of children around swimming pools is crucial, especially during the warm months when pools become the center of activity. Every year, drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children aged 1-4, and the second leading cause among children aged 5-14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This article provides vital safety measures and tips to prevent these tragedies and ensure a fun and safe environment for children.The happiness secret
Some people will tell you there is no secret to happiness. They are wrong. This article, which is an excerpt from 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, reveals the secret to happiness.A Map Mural for Your Business
Have you thought about using a map mural or wall map to visualize your marketplace? Here are five reasons you should.