Being ‘The First’ Requires BEING FEARLESS FIRST!!
The Joy of ‘Being The First’ Dog in First Class Train!
But ‘Being The First,’ Requires BEING FEARLESS FIRST!!
Pondering
Tom and Twinkles, ever eager to push the limits of their adventure, relied on their guile to sneak into Sacred City, the crown jewel of their journey.
The Exhileration of ‘Being the First’ Dog to Enter Sacred City!
Now sparks are starting to fly off ‘the flywheel.’ Brimming with confidence, borderline hubris ‘Los Conquistadores’ were ready for their most audacious achievement ever. A ‘bucket list Aventura’ to the Incan Sacred City in Machu Picchu
As we were preparing, I noticed, “Hey Twinkle, says here you can get your dog into city square of Machu Picchu but can’t enter the Citadel, the Sacred City. When somebody says can’t do it, what’s your reaction?” Appealing to raw emotion, it was the simplest motivational speech ever.
She stared straight ahead, furrowed her brow, and growled as if to say, “Further solidifies my desire to prove them wrong, show that I CAN DO IT, I DO BELONG! Dad, sounds like this one will be tough, do you have a well thought out plan?”
“Well Tiny One, it was a BITCH to get here. Oh sorry, perrita, bad word choice. Anyways we travelled a long way and cannot have a goal-line fumble. You know the drill; we’ve done it hundreds of times. All I need is 30-seconds of claustrophobic confinement in the backpack. SHAZAM, we’re in. Just 30-seconds and you Twinkle, will have indelible bragging rights. YOU WILL BE THE FIRST DOG TO EXPLORE SACRED CITY!
Twinkles emphatically gives the go-ahead, VAMOS!
A team talk doesn’t have to be legendary, on par with JFK or Rockne, but it’s critical to have the team ‘envision’ what success looks like, why the discomfort is worth the risk.
As we approached the entry gate, I chose the most vulnerable lane (they weren’t checking backpacks) and ‘rocket assed it’ upon entry, then unzipped the backpack and a few steps later, WOW! The view was majestic. As we celebrated the execution of ‘Mission Impossible,’ I said, “Twinkle you ever been to a place ya thought was gonna be great? This ‘Seventh Wonder of the Modern World’ delivers beyond expectations.”
Twinkle obviously couldn’t grasp the enormity of The Sacred City. All she knew was she achieved ‘I’M THE FIRST!’
Luck is Where Preparation Meets Opportunity
Planning was important throughout La Aventura, but I had emphasized the importance of ‘the sixth sense’ to Twinkles, teaching her to recognize the subtle signs and signals that heralded trouble. It was a fundamental skill that fueled our audacity. As a result, she had become an astute observer, always alert to react to the slightest hint of danger.
It took one set of skills to get into Sacred City – Planful. And a whole other set of skills to remain there – Instinctual. Tom proved he was good at the first, but the tiny dog would prove she was uniquely qualified to manage the second.
Ok fine, I guess you’re ‘The First.’ But do you have the skills to REMAIN ‘THE FIRST?’
“Dad we did it! Wow, this is a lot bigger than any other park I’ve been too. It was ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles to get here. Do you think it was worth it?”
Overwhelmed, I wasn’t sure what was more satisfying. This majestic view or the sheer accomplishment of pulling this stunt off, jajaja.
Suddenly there was a ‘ripple in the universe.’ A ‘Disturbance in The Force.’ Twinkles sensed something in the shadows.
Tactfully so as not to be detected, Twinkles responded with a mild bark under her breath, a slight shake, a furrowed brow and a glance in the direction of the threat to alert me.
Authorities were closing in, ready to oust the interlopers from their hallowed grounds. Tom and Twinkles were on the brink of being discovered and ejected from the sacred haven they had fought so hard to reach.
“Oh dios there is a storm on the horizon. See the fella in the red shirt, he’s Peruvian version of Park Ranger Smith. We got a spot of bother here what should we do Twink?”
In their dire moment of need, Twinkles made a serendipitous discovery. Thinking quick, she did what she’s done her entire life … run into the lap of a receptive female! In this instance, not just any female but turns out a fellow Colombiana who embraced her warmly. Our new amiga gave Ranger Danger a ‘This is not the dog you’re looking for’ look. Peruvian Park Ranger Smith retreated defeated.
Every Great Team Has Complimentary Skill Sets
Tom planned did a masterful planning job to get them in, but only Twinkles had the instinct to keep them in, and Colombiana who sensed they were her ‘tribe’ protected them.
Tom and Twinkles, with the help of their newfound friend, had managed to navigate yet another perilous situation with grace, guile, and a dose of laughter, and now there were dozens more that could tell an epic ‘Be the First’ story at the Ancient Wonder.
“Twinkles, you dogs got some instincts we humans don’t possess. How do you do it?”
”Our sense of smell, hearing, those are our ‘hummingbird eyes.’ All environmental info is sitting in our RAM. So when there’s a disturbance in The Force, we excute a logical rapid response based on information that’s already been processed. I think you humans call it ‘instincts?’
Trust Your Instincts
“Wow that was a helluva day dog.” Twinkle smiled, “’Every dog has its Day,’ Dad. Today is MY DAY!”
Well yet again Los Conquistadores lived their ‘Dare to Do’ motto:
Do something you didn’t want to do
You never imagined you could do
You weren’t supposed to do
And Together We Will Do Incredible Things!
Isn’t it funny how things mysteriously break good when you’re on a roll? Motivates you to keep rolling. Your mindset shifts from hoping for good things to expecting them. And that attitude keeps you motivated to keep going, keep growing.
And the achievement of ‘To Be The First?’ All it does is motivate you ‘To Be The First’ at something else. You yearn to feel that exhilaration again.
After getting an involuntary upgrade, Twinkle was able to knock off her second ‘To Be the First’ that day!!! “What’s for dinner Dad? Duck? I love to chase them, now I get to eat them!!!”
WHAT TRAITS DID WE LEARN FROM THIS MOTIVATIONAL ‘AVENTURA’
1. Courage: In Our Story Twinkles had to conquer her fear of the Shih Tzus and other potential threats. This required building confidence and bravery to face new and intimidating environments which she did earlier that morning teaching Nevado Jr. who’s the new boss.
2. Curiosity and Vision: Tom needed to harness a vision of what they both COULD achieve and elevate to what they WANT to achieve—exploring the Sacred City of Machu Picchu. This vision fueled her motivation to enabled her to achieve ‘escape velocity’ out of her comfort zone.
3. Determination: Despite being a small and timid dog, Twinkles had to display determination and persistence. Overcoming her fears and remaining focused on her goal transforming to La Princesa was essential to her transformation.
4. Optimism: Twinkles and Tom needed to believe in positive outcomes despite the risks and uncertainties. Subconsciously they didn’t want to formulate ‘safety net’ or fallback plan. They had a dream that was not to be denied.
5. Resilience: The trip from Colombia was a 24-hour nightmare. Overcoming initial fears and setbacks required resilience. Both had to persist in the face of challenges and not give up when confronted with obstacles.
HUMANS ARE ‘LUCKY DOGS!’ THEY HAVE FURRY FRIENDS TO FILL IN OUR SENSORY FLAT SPOTS!
Cuddly Tails provides proof of what we already know!
1. Sense of Smell: Dogs have an extraordinary sense of smell, significantly more sensitive than that of humans. This allows them to detect changes in their environment, such as the presence of unfamiliar or potentially dangerous scents.
2. Hearing: Dogs can hear higher frequencies and detect sounds from farther away than humans. This acute hearing helps them sense approaching dangers or unusual activities that might signal a threat.
3. Eyesight: While dogs do not see in the same way humans do, their eyesight is adapted for detecting movement and seeing well in low light conditions. This allows them to be vigilant and responsive to potential dangers, akin to having "hummingbird eyes" that catch even the slightest motion.
Dogs' combination of these senses creates a heightened awareness of their surroundings, enabling them to detect and react to dangers effectively. Twinkles, with her vigilant nature and sharp senses, exemplifies how dogs can be exceptionally attuned to their environment, sensing danger and staying alert.
WHAT ARE YOUR FLAT SPOTS AND WHO MIGHT YOU GATHER TO IMPROVE THEM? HOW DO YOU INTEND TO DEVELOP YOUR ‘HUMMINGBIRD EYES?’
Now share your ‘Be The First’ story or tell us what your ‘Be the First?’ will be!
