Two dogs in my mind

This short blog post reflects my current state of mind that can best be described by a quote I came across a very long time ago.

At any given point in time, there are at least two dogs in my mind. One asking me to make the tougher choice and another asking me to take the easier route. There is a constant fight between them. Over the years, our mind has been meticulously tuned and then fine tuned to always choose the easier option. So, in theory there shouldn’t be any real battle. Specially when it involves getting up early in the morning and run 20+ kilometres. Yet, there are times when we have to make a decision going against the dominant dog in our minds. This sometimes epic battle within our minds requires motivation from within and people around us.

So which dog wins in the end. Actually, its quite simple. The one we feed is the one that wins. What more, the dog we feed becomes stronger making it an easier battle on a day-to-day basis. Yet, the moment we start feeding the other dog, it takes only a few days before the epic battle restarts.

In reality though, there are packs of dogs fighting in our minds. Each demanding equal attention. We are required to constantly juggle between Personal, Professional, Family & Community commitments. It is tough to sustainably balance them. How do we pick the dogs to feed?

Here is an approach that helps me prioritising commitments from time to time. Imagine all your interests and commitments as points on concentric circles. “You” are at the centre of it. Prioritising yourself over loved ones seems like a selfish thing to do. However, focusing on oneself and looking inward does bring the best in you and the best version of you for others. What is right or priority and how to deal with multiple such priorities is different from person to person. However, the best version of yourself is more likely to make the right decisions and have a greater impact on Family, Community, Nation and even the World.


Fig: Circle of Life

Making these tough choices is part of life. “Life is tough. So, get on with it”. If this qualifies as my advice to my daughter, perhaps it applies to me as well ! 

Do you think Women do a better job managing multiple commitments by multitasking? Share your own experiences on prioritising commitments in the comments below.

Keep feeding the right dogs. Always!

Comments

  1. Unknown23 October 2023 at 00:14

    Good description of what we go through in our day to day lives. !!

    ReplyDelete

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