You Must Not Live In A Bubble

Living in a bubble is something we all do, with different limitations and lack of worldview. This worldview falls apart when you turn to a wider reality, dare to go another way, or distance yourself from the comfort of taking the same path as everyone else.

Your limited worldview allows stereotypes and prejudices to take over. You only see what you want to see, only what is close enough for you to see it from your point of view.

However, the world encompasses much more than just what you can see from inside your bubble. If you break out, you will discover that the world is much more amazing and beautiful than you can imagine.

The bubble for the Argentine national football team

According to the story, the Argentine national football team trained hard, because they were soon to take part in a major championship. It had not been long since the Albiceleste players had won the World Cup, but the coach had prepared a nearly three-hour training program.

The story goes that the players complained about this long training. They did not understand why they, who after all were world champions in football, would need to train if they were already the best. The coach listened to the feedback and then chose to end the training and let the players return to the hotel.

The players knew the coach well, and reckoned that the case was not over yet. That’s right. The next morning they were awakened at 5 o’clock, and were put straight on the bus. They all thought they were being punished for their bad behavior.

However, the bus drove right past the football field, and into town. It parked in front of a subway station, and players were asked to observe. That was all they had to do. For over an hour they followed, while thousands of people walked down the stairs to the subway. Most of them were on their way to work.

Many of the people still had a long journey ahead of them before they arrived at the workplace. Then followed a long working day, before the trip home was next. The coach reminded the players that ordinary, low-paid people had to “train” every day for more than eight hours, and they still had to make dinner and wash up when they got home.

The coach took the players out of the bubble, and showed them the reality. He called for a little humility in the players. It was also a reminder to those who must have forgotten that, despite the football talents and matches they had won, they were still like everyone else: human.

You must not live in a bubble

You can probably relate to the Argentine football team in one way or another. You have made yourself and others feel bad about unwarranted complaints. Instead, do not live in a bubble. Go out into the real world and remind yourself that we are all equal and that things could have been much worse.

That does not mean you should stop dreaming or stop trying to be the best you can be. Instead, it is a reminder and a call to attention.