The Need for Fresh Horses in Life!
Please allow me to utilize a horse as a life lesson metaphor regarding change. Years ago, as I was lamenting over having to make a decision regarding a major change, a good friend of mine grew frustrated with my whining and shouted through the phone “If the horse is dead, GET OFF!” He was right. I was struggling to give up riding the horse that I had depleted all value from. I realized right then and there that I was almost willing to settle for mediocrity knowing that what was best for the situation was a fresh horse loaded with energy, speed, and endurance. I was resisting change, and I needed to figure out why.
I began by reading a book about change that was published in the late 90’s entitled “Who Moved My Cheese?” It was a good read and attempted to place people in one of four quadrants by identifying their consistencies regarding change throughout their life. While it provided me with some new insight, it didn’t provide me with a complete solution outlining what I would need to do to become better at processing, accepting, and embracing change. I needed more.
Deeper research taught me that people often resist change for a variety of reasons, many of which are deeply rooted in psychology and personal experience. One common reason is fear of the unknown; change can bring uncertainty, and many people find comfort in familiarity and routine. Additionally, change can challenge existing beliefs and habits, which can be uncomfortable or even threatening. There is also the concern about the potential for loss, whether it's loss of control, status, or competence. Social factors can play a role too, as people might worry about how change will affect their relationships or social standing. Additionally, past experiences with change, especially if they were negative, can influence how people perceive and react to new changes.
All of this seemed so logical to me and motivated me to take a glance at all the important areas of my life. Rather than resisting change, I began to embrace that change is constant in life, and I had a choice in how I processed the changes that constantly came my way.
It was about that time that a person I worked in sales with always seemed to be talking about how he needed fresh horses. When I asked him to explain, he told me that he utilized the famous ride of Paul Revere as motivation. Turns out that Paul Revere switched horses during his famous midnight ride on April 18, 1775. Revere began his ride on a horse borrowed from Deacon John Larkin. As he traveled from Boston to Lexington to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock about the approaching British forces, he switched horses at least once. This was a common practice during long rides to ensure that the horse remained fresh and could maintain a good pace. My friend began to inspect his life strategies to make sure they were fresh and loaded with energy, speed, and endurance. If they weren’t optimal in the current setting (tired horse), he’d embrace strategic change moving forward (fresh horse).
I started analyzing every area of my life using this new perspective of inspecting the horse I was riding and determining if it was time for a fresh horse to guide my decision making in life. It’s been extremely valuable in helping me choose an insurance agent, an attorney, an accountant, and a banker. It’s helped me determine how our family’s vehicles are serving our needs, how to find a trustworthy company for plumbing, heating, home repairs, and vehicle repairs. It’s supported me making great advances in my Faith and the role volunteering plays in my life. All this in spite of having to leave the comfort of that well-worn saddle on that poor horse that’s pretty much out of gas. Change is hard. Resistance to change is easy but doesn’t get you anywhere other than where you currently are. Embracing change offers risk that is rewarding and exciting. It gets the blood pumping. It creates a life filled with adventure. Remember adventure? It’s what all your dreams were filled with when you were young.
Is it time for you to embrace change and ride a fresh horse? You can go so much further in a shorter period of time if you do. Stop trying to ride that old horse. Remember, if the horse is dead…get off, and saddle up onto the fresh horse that you can ride all the way to the realization of your very best dreams. There’s only one thing that will never change and that is how I Will Always Believe In YOU! GiddyUp!