A Native American elder who has two dogs that he takes to a dog fight every other month. He would often take his Grandson on the outing. The Grandson couldn’t but help notice over time that his Grandfather would always bet on one of his own dogs, and that when he did, that particular dog far outperformed his other dog and often won the fight.
“Grandfather, how do you know which dog to bet on?”
“Well, Grandson, it is quite simple. I bet on the dog that I have been feeding. That dog is the strongest and wins!”
He then went on to relate that humans also have a dog fight going on inside of their minds and hearts…and similarly the dog that gets fed the most wins. The two dogs in the human are the FEAR dog and the COURAGE dog. The fear dog is hungry, active and very eager to steal every morsel of thought food intended for the courage dog. The courage dog, on the other hand, is docile, loving and generous. He will take a back seat to the fear dog if you let him.
“Grandfather, how do you know which dog to bet on?”
“Well, Grandson, it is quite simple. I bet on the dog that I have been feeding. That dog is the strongest and wins!”
He then went on to relate that humans also have a dog fight going on inside of their minds and hearts…and similarly the dog that gets fed the most wins. The two dogs in the human are the FEAR dog and the COURAGE dog. The fear dog is hungry, active and very eager to steal every morsel of thought food intended for the courage dog. The courage dog, on the other hand, is docile, loving and generous. He will take a back seat to the fear dog if you let him.
We can't kill the fear dog because he is part of us. Hating the fear dog is the same as feeding him. Hate is energy – food for the fear dog. Rather, we should strive to control the fear dog…basically tame him by re-directing fear energy into assertiveness and discipline.
Meanwhile, we need to strive to feed the courage dog. Feeding the courage dog makes us more kind, patient, tolerant, powerful and present. We will avoid conflict and be better leaders. We won’t hesitate to lean into the hard tasks; fear will cease being an influence in our lives.
How do we feed the courage dog?
Meanwhile, we need to strive to feed the courage dog. Feeding the courage dog makes us more kind, patient, tolerant, powerful and present. We will avoid conflict and be better leaders. We won’t hesitate to lean into the hard tasks; fear will cease being an influence in our lives.
How do we feed the courage dog?
- By taking care of teammates
- By encouraging rather than judging
- By showing compassion for yourself, and forgiving yourself for your personal disasters
- By looking for and finding good in the world
Condition your mind to feed the courage dog. Pay attention to your mind and witness it trying to feed the fear dog. Interdict, re-direct and maintain the positive courage state!
So, what dog are you feeding now? Train hard and stay focused!
