“Why does Success need a new mascot?” you ask?
Thank you for that question. I can see your raised eyebrow and quizzical look through the screen.
Short answer? Because Success needs a better representative than the predatory lions, jaguars, and birds with talons, which have become way too cliche.
Living successfully—living well–encompasses more than just “killin’ it” at work. It includes having meaningful relationships, professional fulfillment, a warm family life, and thoughtful decision-making. It means being true to your integrity, having time for things important to you, and giving generously from a place of abundance.
In light of all that, success needs an emblem that evokes joy, not a killer instinct.
The obvious solution? I give you…the one, the only, the DONKEY.
Several years ago a stray donkey landed on my driveway at the most inopportune time. My husband and I were struggling to keep our creative design business afloat through the Great Recession, and as we turned onto our long gravel driveway late one night, there he stood.
Right smack in the middle of the road.
A donkey was the LAST thing we thought we needed at the time.
Turns out, that donkey was the best thing that ever could have happened to us.
Flash, as he came to be called, provided us with endless stories and funny anecdotes to tell at dinner parties of course, but more than that, he was a physical reminder of those old-fashioned values and personal ethics we needed to draw upon in order to turn our ship around.
He gave us inspiration to be our authentic shaggy ol’ selves, to look for sustenance in out-of-the box places, and to kick up our heels every now and then—even when things looked bleak.
Later, those stories became best-selling books, and people everywhere fell in love with an amazing donkey named Flash (and his companion, Henry.)
Cards, letter, emails, and texts poured in from all over.
”A donkey changed my life!” they said.
”I can see things clearly now!”
“I’ve made so many positive changes!”
I began to see that Flash and Henry had managed to do something incredible: they’d harnessed the power of possibility—not just for me, but for thousands upon thousands of people.
I’m convinced: a donkey is the PERFECT mascot for Success.
I write about Donkey Principles here: ideas inspired by a couple of kick-ass characters in my pasture and their whole equine species. These concepts, wrapped up in all my stubborn love, will make you a better leader, help you make wiser decisions, remind you of higher values, and give you memorable mind-pictures for moving forward with your personal brand of success.
The power of possibility is yours to harness.
