My dog Bugsy caught her first squirrel yesterday.

At first, I was not sure what had happened. She did’t come in when I called, which was unusual. About an hour later she was ready, and when I opened the back door I found a half-eaten carcass lying squarely in the middle of the lawn.

Bugsy was clearly proud of herself.

I have to admit, it was impressive. I have shared my life with ten dogs over the last forty-plus years, and this was the first time one of them actually caught the squirrel they had been chasing. How many dogs spend a lifetime in pursuit, always falling a step or two short of the prize?

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about achievement and about reaching for the brass ring. We live in a world that celebrates champions and honors accomplishment at the highest level. Look no further than the equestrian world and the themes that dominate so many advertising campaigns. Count how many promise a path to greatness.

I did a quick scan of advertising in the equestrian space and found that roughly 90 percent of horse-related ads either explicitly or implicitly allude to or promise a pathway to winning.

“From beginner to winner.”
“Training to win.”
“The winner’s edge.”
“Powering champions.”

The list goes on. I have to assume these messages persist because they work.

We are raised in a culture of competition at almost every level. From the earliest ages, we are introduced to competitive sport. Lead-line classes before children can even hold themselves upright. Soccer at two or three years old (Herd Ball), with coaches holding up giant arrows so toddlers know which direction to run.

We compete for grades, recognition, school acceptances, jobs, leadership roles, money, and, not to forget, power.

I have two other dogs. I wonder if Bugsy caught that squirrel to best Lilly and Tia.

That feels hard to imagine.

I believe Bugsy was responding to something deeper, an authentic drive that fueled her patience, passion, and persistence. A drive that kept her in the hunt for the three years she has been with me and will likely keep her in the hunt for years to come.

What would it be like if we fueled our children’s passions rather than setting them up from the very beginning for judgment, competition, and comparison?

What would our relationship with horses look like if it were grounded in that same passion for discovery rather than a constant jockeying for blue ribbons or personal and professional validation?

I wonder what we might accomplish. ~ Paul

#PsychSaturday #RidingFar #PurposeOverPerformance #IntrinsicMotivation 

#BeyondWinning #TheLongGame #HorseHumanConnection #MindsetMatters 

#PassionNotPressure #RethinkingSuccess #AuthenticDrive #LearningJourney 

#EquestrianLife #HumanDevelopment #CuriosityOverCompetition