You’ve seen Tyrannosaurus rex in movies and children’s books, but T. rex, whose name means “tyrant lizard king” was undoubtedly one of the fiercest animals to walk the planet. Despite being crowned “king,” fossil evidence indicates the female T. rex was even larger than the male! So, what would life have been like for the ferocious dino? For sure, it would not have been easy in the dinosaur-eat-dinosaur world in which she lived. To survive, however, T. rex possessed a few qualities that are important for us to have as well.
She knew she was fierce. T. rex could grow up to 40 feet long and weigh up to nine tons, so it’s safe to say she was not easily intimidated by other dinosaurs. While she may have caught a glimpse of her reflection in the water, there were no mirrors in the Cretaceous Period, so she primarily relied on an inner knowing of how powerful she was. While human beings do not have the size or physical strength of T. rex, we are, in fact, even more fierce because we all have the power to make a positive difference in the world. That is the most important power of all. If you find yourself questioning your self-worth or someone makes you feel less than confident, channel your inner T. rex and know how powerful you really are!
She moved forward. Scientists have conducted research to determine whether T. rex ran fast or walked slowly. The most recent research suggests the latter. Regardless of the pace at which she moved, there’s no dispute that T. rex, like other animals, moved forward and not backward. Even if T. rex had the ability to take a few steps backward, there would have been little benefit in doing so. In order to get where she was going and find her next meal, she needed to keep moving forward. Likewise, while human beings may be more equipped to look and walk backward, we will not get where we want to go by moving in reverse. Like the mighty T. rex, we must keep moving forward in order to achieve our goals in life.
She was focused. T. rex had forward-facing eyes, indicating she had binocular vision, which made it easier to focus on an unsuspecting herbivore. In order to be successful in hunting, she had to both focus on her prey and take action to go after it. The same is true with us, when we want something in life, we must focus on it and then take action. No, not all your efforts will be fruitful just as T. rex did not catch every dinosaur she pursued. But, in order to build the life you desire, you must focus on what you want and then take action to pursue it.
She did not allow her disadvantages to stop her. There is no doubt T. rex was very big and very scary. Her skull alone was about five feet long and had over 60 teeth which she used to crunch through bone. As menacing as T. rex was, she had one apparent disadvantage- her small forearms- which were tiny in comparison to her body. Nevertheless, she did not allow that disadvantage to stop her from going after what she wanted. Instead, she used what she did have, including her massive size- and all those bone-crunching teeth- to her advantage. As a result, she was one of the most ferocious creatures to ever live.
Is there something in your life you feel puts you at a disadvantage? Whatever it is, do not allow it to define you and, by all means, don’t let it hinder you from staying focused and moving forward toward whatever you want in life. And, like T. rex, make sure you are using what you DO have to your advantage.
So, while other dinosaurs may have been faster than Tyrannosaurus rex, she had qualities that helped her not only survive but thrive in a harsh world. We, too, have all we need to be successful, but sometimes we allow our circumstances or even other people to affect our focus or even cause us to go backward in life. Next time you feel you are going in reverse, spinning your wheels, or just a little out of focus, remember to awaken your inner T. rex and move forward in a positive and focused direction. When you do that, there will be no stopping you!