It’s feeding time on the savanna. The lion, king of the wild, drops its prey and begins to eat. Around him, a chorus of hyenas and jackals gather, drawn by the scent and the show. They bark, yip, and laugh, a wild, desperate racket meant to provoke.
But the lion doesn’t roar. He doesn’t look up, doesn’t snarl, doesn’t even acknowledge them. He just eats. He knows that the moment he reacts, he lowers himself to their level.
You see, the jackals aren’t there to win. They’re there to distract. Their power lies in commotion, not in courage. They can’t take the lion’s meal; they just want to ruin the moment. And that’s the part most people don’t understand about strength. It’s not proven by reaction; it’s revealed by restraint.
When the lion’s finished, he stands tall, shakes off the dust, and walks away. The jackals chase for a while, still barking, until they realize the lion doesn’t care. Then, one by one, they fade into the background. The king never had to fight them. He just kept being the king.
Now, shift the scene to the modern jungle, the digital one. You post an opinion, a photo, an accomplishment, maybe a bit of joy. And there they come, the online jackals. Hiding behind screens and usernames, nipping at your words, barking their outrage, pecking at anything that moves.
They don’t attack to win. They attack to distract. They thrive on reaction. They crave your roar. Every time you bite back, you feed them. Every time you ignore them, you starve them.
Social media, workplace gossip, family drama… same rule applies. Not everyone barking at you deserves your attention. Let the noise echo. Keep walking.
Because when you know who you are, you don’t need to prove it. When you carry the presence of a lion, the laughter of jackals becomes background static.
So don’t roar back. Don’t flinch. Don’t lower yourself to explain your worth to someone who couldn’t recognize it if it bit them on the ankle.
The lion doesn’t waste breath on barking. He just keeps walking, and the jungle falls silent behind him.
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