When I used to let Jenna’s dog, Sadie, out to the bathroom, she used to doddle on her way back in. I would call her and call her, and she would never come back inside. As soon as I went outside after her, and got close enough to grab her collar, she would shake me off and start running toward the door!
Dogs are special creatures, and I often wonder what they are thinking. I must be a high “I” (for more on what it means to be a high “I”, email me at jamar@goreachmore.com), because I actually care what dogs are thinking about me. Especially Sadie when she was defiant and kind of rude!
Animal cognition researcher, William Roberts, says that dogs only think in the moment. They do not have episodic memory, so they can’t think behind or ahead of what is currently happening. They can perceive and follow a command that you taught them in the past, but can’t remember how they learned it. Basically, dogs live in the moment.
That’s why they are excited every time you come home from work. That’s why they’re always in a good mood. That’s why they always do everything “all out”.
Now, they do have the ability to perceive the meaning of something through circadian oscillators, which are regular fluctuations of hormones, temperature, and neural activity. That’s why they like to eat around the same time, and get a stupid grin on their faces when you bring out that orange ball they love to play with.
I think we should take a page from the book of dog living, and live entirely in the moment. Forget about the mistakes, pain, and successes of the past. Live in the moment. Go all out in what you are doing right now. Don’t worry about the future – lamenting about the stresses or loneliness to come, just focus on your energy and intention on this very moment.
Your dog is always happy and productive. Act like him, and you can be too!
Jamar Cobb-Dennard is the Vice-President of Business Development for Reachmore, which provides leadership coaching for small business and executives. For more resources on business leadership, please visit http://blog.goreachmore.com.