You might be surprised, but no matter how important a particular goal is, you won't always be motivated to go after it. Most of the time, you won't be motivated at all.

No, I'm not trying to depress you. Motivation is an emotion, and relying on a feeling to achieve your goals...

Last week, I had a great conversation with a new coaching client, and we discussed an upcoming event. She said (something like), "I don't have any expectations, but I do have intentions." Brilliant! How perfect!

I've been on a bit of an expectation kick lately....

This month in the Q-Membership, we are talking about how we lie to ourselves when measuring our progress. The weird thing is, we don't lie to ourselves on purpose; we just aren't very honest about how we're doing.

For instance, we are much harder on ourselves than the facts show....

I haven't had a puppy in nearly seven years, and I forgot how unproductive they make you! LOL! Thank goodness for forced naptime!

But puppies come with a lot more than endless energy and sharp teeth; they come with a whole bunch of expectations.

Since we just chatted about ...

We are taught that this world is explainable and has a reason for everything. The moon's phases, weather, and even math (inside joke) have logical reasons for being. Then, a grade school teacher tells us that if we work hard, our efforts will be rewarded, and our parents back this up. Our lives...

Have you ever felt worse after a successful weekend of showing? Ever felt terrible though your dashboard is decorated with ribbons?

It's a weird feeling, but it happens more than you might think. We have a fantastic weekend only to wake up Monday with the after-trial blues. How could that...

I am still trying to figure out what I did (or didn't do) last week. What I do know is that I was wholly unproductive after losing my oldest Berner on Monday.

The world tells us we must push through our grief - or disappointments - and move on with our lives and obligations. If you still...

I'm entering a grief period. Knowing this in advance is weird, but I know it's coming. My 12.5yo Berner is fading, and our days together are finite, so I know what awaits.

BUT

This story is NOT meant to have you grabbing all the tissues. No! This is about "savoring," a wonderful...

Every once in a while, I get kinda fixated on a concept. Right now, that's our energy as handlers and how it impacts every aspect of our dog sports.

Spoiler alert: This week's podcast and the Q-Membership for August are all about energy.

Energy is a huge...

Lately, the comparison gremlins have been popping up in interesting - and annoying - ways. Sometimes they tell me I'm not succeeding at work; other times, I should be doing more with my dogs. Just yesterday, Facebook suggested a friend because of mutual connections, and I thought, "What...

Every one of us could entertain a campfire crowd of people with tales of how our plans went awry. Memes are devoted to it: You make a plan, and God laughs. Plan is a four-letter word. Anything about the pandemic. My point is that it's a universal experience to have plans fall apart,...

If only we had any control over other people! But we don't, and sometimes people can be downright awful to us and others. It's that yucky part of our sport that we could all do without. And while I wish it were fading away, bad behavior will probably always stick around. Sigh.

This is on...