I’m not calling you a cow, but…

I hope that title got your attention. LOL.

Here’s the thing, sometimes we are great at being individuals but most of the time we act like cattle. It’s the “herd mentality”. This is nothing new… we tend to act, speak, and believe in certain ways based on the group of people that we interact with (both offline and online).

I was in downtown Dallas recently and took a short break to walk around Pioneer Park and take in the cattle drive sculpture. The installation depicts 49 bronze steers and 3 trail riders driving cattle along the Shawnee Trail. (and yes, I know that a steer is not a cow, but the title wouldn’t have been as good if I’d used “steer”).

As I walked through the sculpture, one steer caught my eye. This one had had enough and was looking to make a break for it!

Be more like this guy. Make a break from the herd!

The herd wants you to fall in line and just follow along the same path everyone else is traveling.

Here’s the thing. How do you know if you are on the right path? Depending on where in the pack you are, you are just going along on blind faith that the leader has a plan and destination in mind.

The morbid truth, at least in the case of these cattle, is that their destination was the slaughter house. This is often the destination of your dreams when you join the wrong herd.

I’m not saying that being the loner is always the best option. There are a lot of benefits to being part of a group…. just make sure it is the right group. Make sure that you are part of the right herd.

Step outside of the group for a bit and examine your surroundings. Consider your personal goals, beliefs, desires. How do they line up with that of the herd? Maybe you’ll find that you are following along and moving in a direction that you ultimately don’t want to go in. Maybe the destination is different from your desired end goal.

Consider what formed the beliefs you currently hold. Are you open to considering that maybe some of those beliefs are false? Why? Why not?

Yeah…. those are deep thoughts for a “walk in the park”. But, isn’t that what walks are meant for? I love to take time to assess where I am, what herd(s) I’m part of, and where I’m heading. I hope this article inspires you to do the same.

Thanks for being here!