As we come to the end of 2023, we recognize that this year was tough on a lot of people. Personally, as dogs, it was pretty good for us. Our big sister Ella had a lot to say about determination, and getting back up after a setback, so we’ll turn this one over to her. We hope that her thoughts help you go into 2024 with a bit of determination!
“Success and fulfillment in life rests on the unflagging ability to get up, to be ourselves, to chase our dreams with fire each day, to keep willing ourselves to the next level of presence and performance and potential.” ~Brendon Burchard, The Motivation Manifesto –
I had a healthy level of determination my whole life. I’ve told you before about my love of hiking. While I did take my time to enjoy the journey along the way, I was determined to make it to the top no matter what.
Mom says I had summit fever. I never liked to turn around until we got to the top. If I could see the summit during the hike, I would pull mom along until we reached it. This was particularly tough on mom the day she took me up Quandary Peak (a 14,000+ foot mountain in Colorado). You could see the summit from early on in the hike, so I pulled almost the whole way. Mom got pretty tired, but I was having a blast.
One day when I was a bit older, Dad took me on a hike with Mala. He didn’t really intend for us to go all the way to the summit of Bear Peak, which was a pretty long, tough hike, but when we got to the saddle between Bear Peak and South Boulder Peak, I was not interested in turning around. Even when it got steep and dad said we were getting low on water, I was determined to get to the top. Dad was probably a bit dehydrated after that hike because he gave Mala and me the rest of the water.
During one of our many hikes, I saw a critter go into a hole in a hillside. Mom kept calling to me to keep walking with her and her friend, but I was determined to get that critter. I was digging as fast as I could at the hole he had disappeared into, but mom came and hooked my leash to my collar and pulled me out of there. What a bust – I could have had him! And, even if I didn’t, it was fun trying. Mala actually caught a critter on the trail one day, but when mom yelled at her to drop it, she did right away. I don’t think she knew what to do with him. She was just as surprised as the rest of us that she managed to catch him. After she released the critter and he scurried off, I kept trying to find him. But, once again, mom put my leash on and pulled me onward.
Throughout your life, you’ll have roadblocks and challenges on your way to your goals, but it’s important to not let a setback derail you. You must have determination, so that you can pick yourself up and keep going. Sure, you might need to rest a bit, or ask for some help, but if you really want something, you have to keep trying until you get it.
When degenerative myelopathy took away the use of my back right leg, I didn’t let that stop me from living. I got used to my Walkin’ Wheels, so that I could still go on neighborhood patrols and hikes. I couldn’t go as far as I used to, but I still got out in the world. Mom and dad had to help me get outside when I had to go to the bathroom, but we all figured out the most efficient way to get those needs taken care of. I was determined right up until the end. I hope my determination inspires you to keep moving forward, even if life has you down right now.