Optimism always carries its own weather system - adventure, excitement and unlimited possibility. When we see the future as a friend, and not a force bent on destroying us, we meet it with optimism. Think RIM, Sears, and pre-bankruptcy Detroit automakers. As well, we can spend so much time reporting on past activities that we have fail to get on with the present and future. Putting out fires and avoiding the snake pit can take up so much of our time that there is little left for real work. Too many people and organizations chase their tails rather than focus on strategic action. The present, however, can be a place of dangerous velocity, inefficiency, and overwhelm. Individuals and groups who face the present moment like Hercules, and meet difficulties and challenges with courage and resourcefulness, win the day. We do not allow ourselves to be distracted or divided over what might happen. When we are present and ready to seize the moment we can respond with all of our faculties and resources. Nor was he overly worried about what might befall him in his encounter with this difficult customer - a beast with three monstrous heads, the tail of a dragon and a back covered with poisonous vipers. He was not arrested by fear of Cerberus' ferocious appearance or reputation. Hercules was able to defeat the three-headed dog because he was sufficient to the task. Despite the illusion of permanence, shift happens. Even great civilizations, like the Greeks and Romans, fall when the paradigm changes. This is true of individuals, teams, companies, and countries. We become mired in the past and lose the ability to be innovative and progressive. Being stuck in old ways of thinking and doing things prevent renewal. When we become overly tradition-bound or tied to "the way we do things around here" enterprises become anachronistic. ![]() Toyota, Hewlett-Packard and Saab are also deeply connected to past accomplishments. Companies like Boeing, Walt Disney and Apple have rich histories that are remembered and celebrated. So, too are the memories of those heroes who paved the way for us. Stories of triumphs and victories over difficult circumstances are instructive to present and future endeavors. As well, they gather wisdom from past exemplars of courage, enterprise and inspiration. They revel in the memories, examples and stories of past success. Individuals and organizations that use the past as a source of received wisdom can also escape hell. These teachings provided important guidance for Hercules in his quest to defeat Cerberus and complete the 12th of his epic labors. No human ever returned, let alone survived, a visit. Hercules wisely consulted the old Eleusinian mysteries for the secrets of the underworld before departing to Hades. We can learn much from Hercules about defeating the three-headed dog and gaining freedom from self-inflicted fear and misery. The third voice spreads fear about what lays waiting for us around the next corner."Too much to do, so little time," it whines. The second voice has us obsessing about deadlines, overwork, and worry about what's on our plate.This is the voice that growls, "shoulda, woulda, coulda!" The voice of the past that is intent on having us only look backwards.This is a metaphor that instructs us to find a way to silence the three negative inner voices: Hercules managed to overpower Cerberus by grabbing him by the throat. Hercules descended into Hades, defeated Cerberus and returned without harming or killing the hellhound. The choice is ours to make.Ĭerberus kept many of the heroes in the old, epic stories confined to the underworld. The past, present and future can be sources of comfort, inspiration and encouragement. If we are to live the life we envision, and not the one we fear, we must overcome Cerberus. We all have a three-headed dog in the dark regions of our psyche. Obsessing about the past, overwhelm in the present, and fear of the future are his methods. He aims to freeze forward movement and lock us into negative, repetitive patterns. Cerberus characterizes all of the negative aspects of each of these time frames. ![]() One head of the dog represents the past, one the present, and the third is the future. Cerberus' job is to let you into hell but prevent you from ever leaving, perhaps like the valet at the Hotel California. In Greek myth the three-headed dog, Cerberus, stands guard at the entrance to the underworld. "Orcus' warder, blood-besmeared, growling o'er gory bones half-cleared down in his gloomy den." – Virgil
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