Put Your Hound Dog Out Of
His Misery
(Avoiding the 7 Rabbits of HIghly Defective Hound Dogs)
by Roger Reece, Fuddwhacker Consulting
“You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog, just a’cryin’ all the time.” Who hasn’t
heard Elvis belt out that rock and roll classic, but did you ever consider the
hidden meaning behind those words? Clearly this was a song about the long-term
effects of a negative attitude, and the hidden implication is, “put your hound
dog out of his misery!”
The Hound Dog
Effect
A negative attitude has a way of giving your face and body a whole new look.
I call it “the hound dog effect.” Your eyes, mouth and overall posture begin to
droop, and before long you start looking like a Bassett Hound. The next time you
feel disappointed or discouraged, look in the mirror and you’
ll probably see a touch of hound dog in your eyes. Fortunately, it’s a temporary
condition for most people, and will disappear as new opportunities and
experiences bring a new perspective.
“I’m Fine, Under
the Circumstances”
For others the hound dog effect has become a chronic condition. Ask a chronic
hound dog how he or she is doing and even the rote response, “I’m fine,” is
generally followed by “under the circumstances.” Chronic hound dogs have a way
of staying under life’s circumstances, shrouded by gloom and
cut off from any vision of new possibilities. Murphy’s Law has become their
motto: “Whatever can go wrong will go wrong.” In essence, when the hound dog
effect is allowed to become a chronic condition, you develop a highly defective
personality.
Chasing Rabbits
It all begins with chasing rabbits. Hound dogs are attracted to negative
thoughts, which like rabbits often run rampant through our minds. Without a
hound dog to chase them, these thoughts tend to disappear on their own, but when
the hound dog within you rises up, it can’t help but chase every negative
thought that crosses its path.
Elvis sang, “You ain’t never caught a rabbit and you ain’t no friend of mine.”
Hound dogs never actually catch the rabbits they chase. Like the term “chasing
rabbits” implies, they simply get sidetracked from achieving their goals and
instead, become mired in the depression of negative thinking. No one wants a
hound dog for a friend. Negative thinking and depressed attitudes are like
infectious diseases, and most people avoid
hound dogs like the plague.
How can you combat the hound dog effect in your life? Learn to recognize rabbits
when they enter your mind and don’t chase them. Rabbits are easily recognized
because of the negative places they lead you to when you follow them. In fact,
most negative thinking can be avoided by simply ignoring the
seven most common rabbits:
The 7 Rabbits of
Highly Defective Hound Dogs
(with apologies to Stephen Covey)
1) “I’m Tired.” This rabbit will try to sidetrack you from putting
forth any extra effort to achieve your goals. Follow it and “I’m Tired” will
lead you to a whole nest of rabbits where you’ll learn to make a habit out of
rationalizing your laziness.
2) “I’m Scared.” You’ll generally run across this rabbit any time you venture
outside your comfort zone. If you chase it back into your familiar places,
you’ll learn to replay all your worn-out habit patterns like broken records, and
you’ll begin believing that it’s better to be safe and sorry than to stretch to
the point of discomfort.
3) “I Can’t.” This rabbit will cause you to give up on any new pursuit at the
first sign of difficulty. “I Can’t” will help you to accept defeat and failure
and build them into your self-image.
4) “I Won’t.” Chasing this rabbit will take you down a narrow tunnel where your
mind will begin to close to new ideas. You’ll learn to make “no” your first
response to any request or suggestion. “I Won’t” will lead you far away from
creativity and spontaneity, and will leave you in a state of unwillingness to
pursue even your own dreams and goals.
5) “It’s Your Problem.” You’ll learn a new vocabulary chasing this rabbit.
“That’s not my job” and “You made your bed, now sleep in it,” will become
familiar phrases as you wander further and further from compassion and empathy
toward total selfishness.
6) “It’s Your Fault.” This rabbit will lead you into the mode of
casting blame. You’ll soon find yourself blaming your parents, your boss, your
company, the government and everyone who makes the mistake of touching your
life.
7) “What’s the Use.” All the other rabbits will eventually lead you to this one.
Highly defective hound dogs are usually spotted chasing this rabbit until they
finally run out of steam and give up on life.
If you can recognize these seven rabbits and control your urge to chase them,
you’ll be well on your way to neutralizing the hound dog effect in your life.
Misery Loves
Company
The hound dog rises up in all of us from time to time, but when it does, don’t
encourage it. Hound dogs love the company of other hound dogs, but you’re far
better off seeking out positive influences when you’re feeling down.
Remember, negativity is infectious, so if you see a hound dog coming your way,
run for cover.
Put Your Hound Dog
Out of His Misery!
“They said you were high-classed, but that was just a lie.” If the
low-classed hound dog in you is “just a’cryin’ all the time,” it’s high time you
put him out of his misery. How can you do that? Stop chasing rabbits and start
focusing on new possibilities. If you find yourself “under the circumstances,”
get on top of them where you can get a better perspective. Figure out what you
want out of life, set some positive goals and then rock
and roll!
(c) 2001, Fuddwhacker Consulting. All rights reserved.
Roger Reece is a motivational speaker, sales trainer and marketing consultant, and delivers entertaining and challenging keynotes, seminars and team-building programs as himself and as Buford P. Fuddwhacker. Buford is a high-energy, down-home, country bumpkin philosopher and geek, and is Roger's unique way of motivating people while helping them laugh at themselves.
www.fuddwhacker.com.
email:
roger@fuddwhacker.com