By Mike Thomas, NBHWC Jun 13, 2024
There’s a fantastic story that Rory Vaden tells in his book, Take the Stairs, and watching him tell it on YouTube makes it even better. He uses a metaphor about real-life storms in the Colorado valley to compare how cows and buffalo handle storms, much like the ones we face in our lives.
When a storm is coming from the west, cows run away from it. They don’t run very fast, so the storm catches up to them. Because they keep running, they end up staying in the storm longer than if they had just stayed still. They have their “problem” longer and suffer more because they ran both with and from the storm.
Buffalo, on the other hand, see the storm coming over the mountain and run directly toward it. They charge into the store and by doing so, they spend less time in it and get through it more quickly.
This metaphor is powerful when we think about the problems in our own lives. If we face our problems head-on, like the buffalo, we can get through them faster and prevent them from becoming bigger issues.
Running from “Storms”
Let’s imagine a person named Sarah. Sarah avoids her problems whenever she can. When she gets behind on her work, she procrastinates instead of tackling it. As a result, her workload piles up, and she feels more stressed and overwhelmed. The problem doesn’t go away; it just gets bigger and harder to deal with. Sarah ends up spending more time and energy trying to avoid the problem than if she had faced it right away.
Facing “Storms”
Now, let’s look at a person named Jack. When Jack sees a problem coming, he addresses it right away. If he gets behind on his work, he immediately makes a plan to catch up. By dealing with the issue head-on, Jack quickly gets back on track and prevents the problem from becoming worse. This approach saves him time and stress, and he feels more in control of his situation.
Understanding and Facing Problems
Sometimes, we don’t even see the “storms” in our lives. Our level of awareness might not be in tune with the challenges we’re facing. Avoidance, fear, and procrastination can cloud our judgment and make it harder to recognize issues before they grow. By digging deeper and being more self-aware, we can identify the root causes of our problems and address them more effectively.
Challenge
I challenge you to be more perceptive about the problems you are facing. Try to recognize them faster and deal with them sooner. This approach can help you on your way to better health and well-being. Remember, like the buffalo, facing your problems head-on will get you through the storm quicker and let you enjoy the sunshine on the other side.
Mike Thomas is a board-certified health coach. He helps busy professionals who struggle with low energy, high stress, and chronic pain.
This blog is for educational and informational purposes only and solely as a self-help tool for your own use. I am not providing medical, psychological, or nutrition therapy advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your own medical practitioner. Always seek the advice of your own medical practitioner and/or mental health provider about your specific health situation. For my full Disclaimer, please go to CoachMikeThomas.com.