Do You Really Want to Catch the Rabbit?
Good Morning,
Years ago, I read an account of something odd that happened during one of the greyhound races that used to be held in Florida (the state outlawed this beginning in 2021). In greyhound racing these lightning-fast dogs chase a rabbit (usually a fake rabbit or windsock) around a track attempting to catch it. The rabbit stays out front, but it serves as a great motivator for the dogs to run hard and keep chasing it.
In the story I read, during one race things didn’t go as planned. There was a “rabbit malfunction” and the lead dog caught it. But strangely, the dog didn’t know what to do with it. The dog had been chasing so long, pushing so hard, for something out front of it that when he actually accomplished the goal, he was a bit lost. The chase itself had been the driving force in its life.
When I read this story, I immediately thought about how in the race of life we relentlessly pursue rabbits out front of us. Rabbits that can look like a promotion at work, a certain income level, improving our leadership, an educational accomplishment, a health, fitness or athletic milestone and countless other things. These things provide for us a focus and motivation to keep growing; to keep stretching ourselves. When kept in perspective these are good things. The trouble often comes when we catch the rabbit. Suddenly this pursuit that has been so central in our life is no longer a thing. And it can leave us floundering.
In 1987, as a result of Keith Smart’s last second shot, Indiana beat Syracuse 74-73 to win the NCAA men’s basketball championship. I heard Keith speak about this sometime later and he said he remembered sitting in the locker room right after that game and asking himself, “Now what?”. For his entire athletic career, what he just accomplished had been the goal he had pushed so hard for. Now he didn’t know what to do next.
I remember when I took over our family business my dad kept working for me a couple days a week for the next 17 years. In that time, he was stretched. I remember him courageously learning QuickBooks so we could automate payroll and payment of invoices. Even though he at first feared he would wipe out the entire history of the company with one wrong keystroke he stayed after it and did it. I was very proud of him for being willing to grow. But when I closed the company to move to Colorado, he was suddenly left with more time on his hands than he was used to. It affected him emotionally and in a way he had not had to deal with while he was still chasing a rabbit.
We can be dupped into thinking that the ultimate goal is to push and stretch ourselves so that someday we can sit back, relax and stop learning and growing. That friends, is not healthy. At a time when so many have more margin in terms of time and money than maybe any other time in their life far too many are sitting on the sidelines. Here is a hard truth: If you stop growing you don’t stay the same, you go backwards.Backwards intellectually, emotionally, and even physically. What’s more, your opportunities for influence shrink. That is a pretty high price.
So, the critical question you must ask yourself is this: “Do you really want to catch the rabbit?”
Questions to ponder this week:
1. What in my life is continuing to stretch and grow me?
2. How am I using my time and talents for something or someone other than me?
Live on purpose,
Ron Klopfenstein, CPLC
