I learned one of life’s greatest lessons from a dog named Rainbow during my time at the New Skete Monastery, where world-renowned dog trainers taught me the art of training. When Rainbow started her training, she was like most of us—easily distracted. A squirrel runs by? Every fiber of her furry body wanted to chase it. Another dog in sight? How could she resist?
But through training, Rainbow learned to completely ignore these distractions and stay focused on her path. Watching her, I realized how many of our own goals get shattered because we don't block out the noise. We're not trained to ignore the distractions.
I call these distractions "arrows," and they come at us from all directions, every single day:
There are the arrows of unessential requests for our time - often one-sided agendas from people who want something from us. While I believe in helping others and making connections, saying yes to too many of these requests takes time away from our own goals.
Then there are the arrows of personal challenges. Say you're training for a race and your plan calls for early morning runs. It's cold, it's dark, it's snowing - those are all arrows. Reasons to NOT get out there.
And of course, there are the everyday life arrows: the overflowing toilet, the car that won't start, the boss being difficult. Though these might be unavoidable, they don't have to derail us.
Watching Rainbow walk with purpose, her whole body springing with joy, I realized that learning to not react to something so instinctual takes practice. It isn't easy, but it's necessary.
If you have a goal, don't get caught up in the distractions. Learn to shut off the noise coming at you. Rainbow had to train like a dog, and so do we. Keep moving forward, dodge the arrows, and stay focused on your path.
