2015 Challenge

A 2015 challenge

This one is specifically for my dog friends. Here is my challenge 2015…… I challenge you to be successful.

Well, duh, all of us in competition want to be successful so that isn’t much a challenge right? The challenge is to be successful; it isn’t about how many ribbons or points we earn. It isn’t about the qualifying scores or clean runs it is about meaningful success.

Every time we walk into an event with our canine partners we need to celebrate to success of being there with a creature that loves us and tries their hardest to please us at every turn. We need to celebrate the baby steps and milestones. Sometimes we need to be successful at being humble or as good sport or the comic relief. Success is about attitude not aptitude much of the time and my challenge to you is amp up your attitude about success.

2015 finds me making a lot of plans that come with a lot of training opportunities. I admit I am a lazy trainer and often my dogs succeed in spite of me. They live with the “nice dog, pity about the handler” burden daily. So my challenge is to remember that we get what I train for and to be happy for that success.

Today I am going to start 2015 at a training event and I am going to mark the day by remembering that I am already successful. I have great dogs, and great friends. I have the opportunity to train and learn from great people. I have the opportunity to compete in venues I like and win or lose it is my attitude that makes me successful.

It may be cliche but success really isn’t the final product, the big win, the high score but the journey that got you there. Celebrate the journey.

So my friends and readers how do you define success.

Happy New Year!