Things my dog taught me…

Everyday I  see events happening that make me think about the metaphors that teach us life lessons a little more easily than if we experience them ourselves.

Take for instance my dog – who often teaches me new tricks.  Like how to dig up my peonies if they are not thriving where I planted them two years ago.  Or how to leave food in a bowl all day long but snack on everything from underwear to my favorite socks.  I think the lesson there was either to keep my underwear on at all times and guard them with my life or make sure the laundry is picked up before I go to bed or leave a room.  (I can get distracted you know)

Today was no different.   While walking him at a local dog park, we began the daily ritual of - I throw, he fetches.  I have to take two balls when we go because he will not give up one ball unless he knows I am going to throw it again.  So when I throw the ball, and he chases, I load up “the chucker” and am hardly done that task when I look and there he is - at my feet.  He looks at me, panting with the ball still firmly clenched between his upper and lower jaw and will not drop the ball until he sees me wind up for the next “chuck”.

My dog is ‘ball obsessed’.   Now for those of you who have a dog – they can be ball obsessed in another fashion -  but not my dog.  Ever since he was neutered he prefers the orange glow in the dark balls over the ones he originally had.  If I get the leash to go to the park – he goes insane and barks at me until I get the balls out  - and then the games begin.  Throw, run, chase, pant, pant, drop ball and run again.

After about 20 minutes of nonstop racing for the ball, I hide the balls and we walk a little.  But he never forgets about the ball.  He looks in my pockets, and has been seen jumping five feet to try and grab it from my hood.  Like I said, he is ball obsessed.

The thing is though, that he is so obsessed by the ball, that he won’t  stop chasing to save his life.  In other words,  he would run until he dropped dead of exhaustion before he would stop and rest.

So today after the walking portion, I threw the ball a few more times and then set out his portable bowl of water.  He ran to the bowl, obviously very thirsty.  He had the ball in his mouth, and put his head down to the bowl but would not let the ball go to take a drink!  Up his head would go – and he would look at me and then bend down again and try again to drink without letting go of the ball.  In fact he seemed a little confused.  Clearly, he did not want to let go of the ball - but he needed a drink.  It was the funniest thing to watch – and made me think. 

How often in life or business are we obsessed with something?  So obsessed in fact that we will not let go and because of this, we cannot do the things we really must do.  For instance, as a creative photographer, we may love to take pictures so much that we won’t put the camera down long enough to invoice a client. 

Or, maybe we love to network so much that we forget that we have to close a deal once in a while.  Perhaps we may love to spend so much time creating a product that we don’t take the time to sell it.

We become obsessed in our own way with the game and the ball. 

Unfortunately, the obsession keeps us from doing the things we need to do to survive.  As a dog owner, I know to take away the ball so that my dog will not die of thirst and exhaustion.  But who is there to remind you about what you ‘need’ to do when you become obsessed with something?

This is where an accountability partner comes in.  I have one.  (or two)  An accountability partner is someone who will cheer you on and offer up an ‘atta boy’ when you do well but will make sure to call you on behaviors that can hurt you - or remind you to do the things you need to do when you become ‘ball obsessed’.

No one succeeds alone.  Not even a dog.  We all need someone to run and play with and someone who will remind us of the things we overlook or ignore.

My dog got his water today – but only after I took the ball away.  He did not have the good sense to drop it and drink.  I got my exercise today, but only because my dog whined until I took him for a run. 

I guess you could say we are accountability partners!

Need to find an accountability partner?  Why not start by attending a Roaring Women Meeting to connect with other like-minded women in business.  Read more here. 

And if you are looking for business coaching please be sure to contact us about our coaching – or read more about what coaching is about here.

Finally, if you would like success coaching from Mandie - please read more here.