Belling the cat

March 07, 2025

The Fable - Belling The Cat

The Mice once called a meeting to decide on a plan to free themselves of their enemy, the Cat. At least they wished to find some way of knowing when she was coming, so they might have time to run away. Indeed, something had to be done, for they lived in such constant fear of her claws that they hardly dared stir from their dens by night or day.

Many plans were discussed, but none of them was thought good enough. At last a very young Mouse got up and said: "I have a plan that seems very simple, but I know it will be successful. All we have to do is to hang a bell about the Cat's neck. When we hear the bell ringing we will know immediately that our enemy is coming."

All the Mice were much surprised that they had not thought of such a plan before. But in the midst of the rejoicing over their good fortune, an old Mouse arose and said:"I will say that the plan of the young Mouse is very good. But let me ask one question: Who will bell the Cat?"

The Meaning

It is one thing to say something but another thing to actually do something, words are simply just words, and nothing is anything without action. Many have bold plans for their future, but few take the risk and the work to make them happen. The most valuable piece of real estate? Graveyards, there are billion-dollar ideas buried forever because people never took action. Change is challenging, I love comfort, and I’m sure you love comfort. Only saying what you want to do is comfortable, and that’s why we get stuck, the thought of achieving more is comfortable it creates a false narrative in our brain and tricks us into thinking we have actually accomplished something. Taking action on the other hand is a completely different sensation, it is truly uncomfortable, it’s hard, it takes effort, you could fail and it’s scary. There is always a hesitation when trying to take action, a gap between the idea and execution, this fable is a reminder that action leads to progress, not ideas.

Actionable Steps

  • Turn ideas into plans - Once you have an idea create 3 actionable steps to get the ball rolling, momentum is the name of the game when starting

  • Perfect doesn't exist - done is better than perfect, just start, even if its small just start now, “the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago the next best time is now”

  • Hold yourself accountable - Set deadlines or tell people what you are starting about your goal

  • Visualize - Thinks about your life without taking action, and then visualize life if you were to take action

  • Set extremely clear goals - Create small milestones to achieve, that are precise and clear, giving you something to accomplish, if you can achieve small goals it will give you the confidence to move forward

Micro Habit That You Can Implement

Whenever you catch yourself saying, "I should do this..." or "I need to start...", take one small action immediately—write it down, make a call, or do the first step. The goal is to build momentum and train your brain to shift from talking to doing.

Failing To Follow The Fable

One famous example of not taking action, in modern times is the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s. Countless tech startups promised revolutionary ideas—grand visions of changing industries, disrupting markets, and creating the future. However, many of these companies never built anything real. They raised millions, spent lavishly, but failed to execute. When the bubble burst, only companies that had taken real action (like Amazon and eBay) survived, while those that only talked about change disappeared.