08/07/2024
It’s not about how much you succeed with your dog, it’s about what happens when you don’t...
On days when things don’t go your way, confidence, ego and even your commitment may take a hit.
How you handle those times can make all the difference in being the best partner to your dog.
While for some success comes early and easily, for most, it takes time, hard work, discipline and a lot of mistakes.
For others, it can be even more difficult, coming only after refusing to allow circumstances, setbacks and disappointment be the final story.
Success is a process that is not just about winning, it’s also about progress.
It’s important to be motivated by the accomplishments within your goal and equally important not to fear disappointment, as it provides the road map for what you need to change and improve.
Success has many faces, that show up often, but it’s up to you to recognize and derive the relative sense of fulfillment. It can include:
Understanding and executing the next step in training
Solving a problem (or not creating one by being impatient)
Taking ownership of what you’ve trained (or haven’t)
Being accountable and not blaming your dog
Recognizing when you shouldn’t or should ask more of your dog and yourself
Letting go of ego and expectations
Having a growth mindset
Developing mental fortitude
to name a few.…
In times when success is hard to find, disappointments offer opportunity to spot weaknesses and let go of bad habits.
They are important to acknowledge, and not dispute or hide, as self-awareness is critical for development and becoming better.
You’re the only one that can define what success means for you—
To attain your definition, you’ll likely need to take risks, be uncomfortable, seek help, make sacrifices, have disappointments, learn new skills and be willing to change.
I have many weaknesses that I work on everyday and I’ve found the more I try to improve personally, the better partner and trainer I am for my dog.
macraeway.com
