“Crabs in a Bucket,” The Shocking Truth About People!

Ever heard of the buckets of crab metaphor? It refers to the behaviour of crabs. Essentially, whenever you’ve got a bunch of crabs in a bucket and one of them tries to escape, the others will pull it down.

The phenomenon happens in human behaviour like… way too often than we would prefer. It’s been best described as “If I can’t have it, neither can you”. When other people see you advancing in life, for most, their first instincts is to discourage you or pull you down!

So rare is the person who encourages and motivates us; that’s why many love going to motivational events like the ones Tony Robbins hosts. As an entrepreneur, you’re doing things that other people are too afraid to do, and such determination can spur them to pull you down. This may be done subconsciously or consciously. The fact is most human beings have the crab mentality.

So what’s a go-getter such as you to do? Firstly, make sure you’re not what you despise or dislike…

Do You Have The Crab Mentality?

No, really. Do you? And be honest with yourself on this one because that’s how you can begin to change.

Do you find yourself always looking for what’s wrong with any given idea by others? Do you regularly give unconstructive criticism? Are you always playing the gatekeeper to other people’s potential successes, whether small or large?

I could go on, but you get the gist. If you feel that you have a crab-like mentality, then you’ve got some internal work to do. However, sometimes, the mentality isn’t with you and can be with those around you! Since we don’t want to feel excluded, lonely, heartbroken, or upset, we can become people-pleasers.

The problem is that being eager to please can and often does ruin dreams, just like excessive procrastination. Many will passively or aggressively bash your goals and ideas because they want to drag you back down.

This happens with the most unlikely people, too, such as family members, long-time friends, trusted co-workers, and business partners. Sad, isn’t it?

Thinking of crabs…

If the bucket of crabs worked together, they would all escape but instead, they allow selfishness and envy to destroy any chance they’ve got to do so. The same goes for human beings. Many of us want to be successful but are unwilling to pull another person up the ladder unless for something in return.

What’s Your Gut Reaction?

When someone you know is trying to do something remarkable or out of the norm that you’re used to, what’s your gut reaction? For most of us, it’s jealousy. But some of us have realized that helping others is also how we get the things we want. We know that we can be smarter, better, and more cooperative than crabs.

If you plan on climbing out of your bucket, whatever the challenge may be, don’t let others drag you down! If you’re happy with what you’ve got but see a person going for something bigger, please give them a boost. Yes, you can do that much!

It’s indeed plausible that the reason the richest 10% of the world own and control so much is because they’ve embraced the culture of supporting one another. Meanwhile, most of the rest of the world continues to act like crabs in a bucket.

So how can you prevent people like that from pulling you down?

1. Do Things That Encourage You

Motivation is a daily thing but not the kind where you listen to someone tell you something like ‘you can do it’. Although, that’s also a valid way of keeping yourself motivated. The best inspiration comes from doing the work necessary to accomplish your goals!

Every time you complete something, your brain gets a dose of ‘happy’, you feel great and your belief in your dreams are reinforced. So keep doing the little things that count, whether it’s publishing a post on social media, making a cold call, starting your own blog etc.

2. Don’t Get Caught Up in The Negativity

Sometimes you have to be strong, and part of that is being able to let negative people in your life go! You may not be ready to let them go but think about it for a second… Will keeping this person around you help you achieve your goals?

I’m not suggesting that you stop being their friend (or only hang with people for self-interest) but you may have to keep them at a distance for a while. Remember, it’s not that they’re necessarily a bad person; they just don’t get what you, many others and I know.

So you may have to disappear for a while.

3. Spend Time With People Who Have An ‘Abundance’ Mindset

The abundance mindset is the opposite of a crab-like mentality. In other words, spend more time with people who want to see others succeed in their endeavours. Because the truth many refuse to see is that there’s plenty of success to go around and by helping others reach theirs, you’re helping the world.

I provide plenty of marketing information on this blog for free and I’ve had enough people tell me things like “how are you going to sell anything if you keep giving it away”. Yet, I still do it and you know why?

At the end of the day, everyone deserves a helping hand and just because someone may not be able to afford me right now, doesn’t mean I can’t help him or her. It would be cruel not to assist those in need for purely selfish reasons. NOT suggesting that you give away your products or services for free, not at all! Just help others where you can but set reasonable boundaries.

Gabriel Nwatarali

I’m a freelance copywriter and SEO specialist. I aim to empower individuals and businesses with impactful marketing solutions and insights. In my downtime, I recharge by embracing the beauty of nature or cherishing moments with my loved ones. If you found value in this post, please consider sharing it.