Cat-like Reflexes

Where does your motivation come from? What inspires you? I only ask because I recently found mine in a VERY unusual source.

I went for an interval run on Friday morning. And I was focused. I was going to run this far, this fast and for this many minutes at a time. NOTHING was going to break my concentration

So...

• this feels good, I can do this.

• good...keep this pace.

• Look! A cat!

• No! Focus.

• Seriously...that's a huge cat.

• Cara - get it together.... You have 32 more seconds.

• But that cat is not moving.

• Is it dead? It's not even blinking.

• Good. The timer went - I can walk.

• What is the problem with that cat?

So, not one to refuse an excuse to stop running, I continued to watch that stupid cat for a few more minutes. Without a word of a lie it did not blink, move or even breathe. It was sitting in a picture window staring at something. A large black crow (ruffling his feathers in a rather taunting and provoking manner) was sitting on a phone line just outside and out of reach. From what I witnessed, the bird seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself.

I could have dressed in a giant fish costume and lit myself on fire outside that window and the cat would not have even looked at me. All it wanted was that bird.

So as I continue with my run, I start to wonder how is it that a cat can maintain such a level of concentration and I can't walk from one room to another without forgetting why I was going there in the first place?

The answer is simple. This particular cat was living in the moment. There are no fond memories, embarrassing regrets or plans for the future when you are a cat. You live in the now. There are no distractions. Do you think that cat cared about what I was doing outside his window? As if!!

As the length of my running route expands, I will do my best to maintain a feline-like concentration and live in the moment. Maybe a good idea would be to stop peering into the neighbours windows at their animals.

Be well.