What a Dog Can Teach Us About Purpose

Yesterday I was out walking with my dogs, Purdey & Fiver, and it made me think about Purpose.

Purpose is the reason for which something (or someone) exists or the reason you do things.

Well, Purdey is a labrador retriever and there is nothing more that she loves than a ball and retrieving that ball.

Fiver is a cocker spaniel and he is never happier than bombing about the undergrowth or the woods searching for stuff. He's fascinated by rabbits and if you say, 'where are the rabbits' he will be off like a shot rooting around for them. By the way, he doesn't catch them or eat them, he just loves them.

You never see either of those dogs wagging their tails as furiously as when they are doing those two activities.

So to me, Purdey's purpose is retrieving. It sparks joy for her, there's nothing more she'd rather do. If you held a ball and a piece of steak in front of her, she'd go for the ball.

Fiver's purpose is to run around the scrub and bushes searching for things. You can see the excitement in his body when he does that.

So what about you -

What makes your metaphorical tail wag furiously?

What do you most love doing? And is it in your life? If not, could it?

I think if you create a life around your purpose or things you find purposeful, you will never feel a day is wasted or not worthwhile.

Let me know what wags your tail!

Be fearlessly you. Wag that tail.

Tracy