INSIDE-OUT REVOLUTION

Humans are a funny breed. They use their one (genie) wish to get rich; their one-year’s resolution to get thin and then do nothing to help achieve and/or sustain either objective. In truth, everyone knows (even a dog) that real objectives are achieved when you ask for and pursue what you want from the inside out.

If you are fat and want to be fit, you need to determine why you overeat or eat too much of the wrong things; why you sit on a couch instead of taking your slug self to the gym or walking your dog for an hour every day. This is an internal issue and my keen observation of humans in America is that when they address the inside, they get what they want on the outside.  Success!

I can back up my claim.  Jet, my foster mom who rescued me from the streets of Texas, has a friend named Schwartz who coaches executives. Schwartz has his humans take a specially guarded profiling assessment called CORE. The results are so revealing that he is almost clairvoyant, as he can clearly see what makes these humans tick. Apparently CORE not only identifies the personality of a human, it also measures their emotional intelligence (EQ) level. Coming from the streets and having witnessed the ungodly treatment of other dogs, it seems to me the emotional intelligence of a lot of humans is lower than the bones I bury in the backyard.

But I digress…

With scientific accuracy of 95%, this CORE profile can measure a person’s EQ. As Schwartz likes to quote some guy named Daniel Goleman, “EQ is the most important indicator of a person’s success. On average, close to 85 percent of a top executives success in leadership is attributable to emotional intelligence.” No other element or combination of elements has ever proven more predictive of long-term success. 

Since emotional intelligence is a human’s ability to handle themselves well and to relate to, and interact with other humans in an effective manner, it would appear that any human can have a smart (high IQ) and still do a lot of stupid things due to a low EQ.

My lesson of the week: humans don’t need a genie in a bottle, a winning lottery ticket or a new year’s resolution to get what they want. They need a healthy EQ, giving them the ability to handle themselves (their work habits, their communication habits, their drinking habits, their eating habits…) well. It’s getting what you want by addressing human foibles from the inside, out. Since EQ, more so than IQ, can significantly improve in an adult human, it stands to reason few humans have any real excuse for not being successful. Of course, humans never fix what they don’t first, own. Try a New Year’s ‘Revolution’ on January 1, 2013, going after what you want on the outside by first dealing with what you are on the inside. You’ll find success and treat your animal friends better too.

LETTER FROM A FAN

Dear Parker:  I’m a nibbler. I like nibbling on electrical cords, dad’s shoes, toys, couch corners, sticks…  It annoys my human a lot and I get water sprayed at me for not nibbling on the ‘right’ things sometimes but nothing serious comes of it until now.  Yesterday, I was nibbling on a lovely plant sitting next to a brightly lit up tree in the house. (How nice of my humans to bring me a tree in the house to pee on). When I got caught, my human nearly tore me a new one. (I’m not sure what that means but it’s what he said he was going to do to me if I kept chewing on the plant and it sounded serious.)  What is the big deal about nibbling on the little red, pointy plant?  - Your fan, Doodle

Dear Doodle:

My guess is that you were nibbling on holly or mistletoe. Humans tend to put these plants, as well as poinsettias, around their home this time of year to celebrate something called Christmas. Poinsettias are toxic but seldom poisonous to animals; whereas lilies, holly and mistletoe berries can be poisonous to critters. (See photos.) I think that says it all. Try nibbling on a cowhide treat; otherwise, you won’t see your first new year.  – Hoping your listening out there.  Parker