Chucking Antelope on the High Chaparral
I always have an adventure when family visits. My dad flew out solo this time and we decided to hit the slopes. We were returning from a fun-filled day in Breckenridge when we spotted this distressed antelope calf along the highway.
“Dad, he’s going to get hit!”, I exclaimed as I pulled off the highway and came to a halt. This little guy couldn’t make it over the fence where the rest of his tribe must have jumped and were now off in the distance. The mother was in between the fence and the rest of the herd calling to her calf. The calf was crying out. He would run out into the interstate, to pick up speed, and then run full force toward the fence and attempt to jump, unable to clear it.
Now I am realistic: the antelope is the fastest long-distance runner of the animal kingdom…there was no way I was going to catch this little guy, scoop him up, and chuck him over the fence to reunite him with his mother. Yet, that was one of the first thoughts that crossed my mind when I pulled over.
The second thought was that my dad and I could get between the calf and the interstate, scaring the calf enough to build up the adrenaline to clear the fence. My dad was checking to make sure the fence wasn’t electric (ouch) as I was trying to position myself between the highway and the calf.
Well, we scared him alright. The poor thing started head butting the fence in lieu of running out into the highway. He continued to migrate west, away from us, ramming his head into the fence the whole way. He eventually found a hole in the fence, crawled through it, and reunited with his mother.
Initially, I was so fixated on the idea that I needed to help this little calf out. I had seen the problem but had not identified my goal. The actual goal was that the calf needed to be with his mother. If the goal had been for me to catch the antelope and chuck him over the fence, I would have been there all day with no success. With a little bit of guidance, the calf figured it out on his own and the issue was resolved.
This is the same for health coaching. A coach doesn’t do it for you. A coach helps you get clear on your goals, identify the challenges, and then helps you set your course to achieve the goal.
Book a free consultation with me to talk about getting clear on your goals and identifying what it is that you really want to accomplish with your health.
-Wing Woman
Wing Woman 