Hold the Leash Close

“OMG, Why me !”. You may hold a hundred people’s list who may be better ‘deserving’ when hell broke loose on you. But think it over, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to you, but definitely the momentum had been building over time, which you should have deliberately ignored, while things were running against your favour.

Now read this situation and request you to recreate it in your mind with a change in environment.

When I take my dog DJ out for walks, I now make it a point to hold the Leash close, i.e., leaving a foot (12 inches) length of rope from its collar. I hold him close to my knees and pull him on every pull of his. DJ goes with me very much under control or so it seems on a daily walk. Thanks to one of the TV shows which taught me so.

Things weren’t so when I used to take him out earlier. I used to leave it loose till the end of the rope and go behind. The scene many times would look like DJ is taking me out for my fitness and I run behind helter skelter pulling him against all my weight. I felt awkward reeling against his quadruped grip and strength. Worse still when the neighbourhood watches me with sympathy for his tantrums and my sincere effort to continue this exercise daily. Definitely, for some of them it was fun.

Then came this TV show, which said I should hold him close and stop him from wandering here and there. This serves a dual purpose, keeps him under control and tells him who is the Boss. More importantly it saves my pride of ‘owning’ a pet.

Great learning for those dog lovers and a thought for application to all of us.

Now, apply this to any situation. We have to exercise controls that we are vested with in the roles we play be it in our family or in the work place. Failing to do so, shall mean to loosen the Leash on one or many depending on your stature. Then, your reaction or behaviour is at the discretion of such subjects. You fail to exercise control, loose control, start being controlled by situations and finally loose your credibility in the organization or society. Throughout the episode, you have not performed your legitimate duty of controlling the situation and allowed yourself at the behest of your subjects.

The same exercise needs to be applied to your mind too. You can control your thoughts by practice. Bring back the wavering ones to your main objective. Keep them focussed on actions that you had decided to perform and not the ones you are forced to do by situations.

Wake up. Start holding the Leash Close to you so the Dog behaves and you remain its Master.