Once upon a time, deep in a lush green forest, a group of frogs was hopping through the woods in search of water. The sun was hot, throats were dry, and everyone was tired. But they kept moving, hoping to find a pond or stream.
Suddenly, without warning, two frogs from the group accidentally tumbled into a deep, dark pit.
Thud. Thud.
The other frogs rushed to the edge and peered down. Their hearts sank. The pit was incredibly deep—so deep that it seemed impossible to escape.
The frogs at the top began to shout down to their friends below:
“Don’t bother trying! It’s too deep!”
“You’ll never make it out!”
“Just accept it—there’s no way out!”
But the two frogs at the bottom weren’t ready to give up. They started jumping. Again. And again. And again.
Each time they leaped, the voices from above grew louder.
“Stop wasting your energy!”
“You’re only hurting yourselves!”
“It’s hopeless!”
After many failed attempts, one of the frogs began to listen to those voices. Doubt crept into his heart. Fear wrapped around his spirit. He looked up at the distant opening of the pit and thought, “Maybe they’re right. Maybe I’ll never escape.”
And so, he stopped jumping. He gave up. And sadly, he collapsed… never to rise again.
But the second frog? He kept jumping.
Higher. Stronger. More determined than ever.
The frogs above shouted even louder now, waving their arms, trying to make him stop. But something incredible was happening—something none of them realized.
With one final, mighty leap—fueled by every ounce of strength left in his body—the second frog soared out of the pit and landed safely on the ground above.
The other frogs were stunned. They surrounded him, amazed and confused.
“How did you do it? We told you it was impossible! Why didn’t you give up?”
And that’s when they discovered the truth.
The second frog was deaf.
He hadn’t heard a single word of their discouragement. In fact, he thought they were cheering for him. He believed they were encouraging him to jump higher, to keep going, to never give up!
And that belief? That belief saved his life.
So what’s the lesson here, dear friends?
The opinions of others will only affect you if you choose to believe them.
Sometimes, the world will tell you that your dreams are too big, your goals are unreachable, your situation is hopeless. But remember this: those voices only have power if you give them permission to enter your heart.
Believe in yourself. Trust your strength. Keep jumping, even when others say you can’t.
Because the only voice that truly matters is the one inside you—the one that says, “I can. I will. I must.”