This past Saturday afternoon I took my visiting nephew to the stables at our local race track to see my two horses. My trainer is a 64-year-old cowboy, a crusty hardboot, and was a bit gruff when we stopped and said hello. I didn’t think much of it; I’ve known him for years and sometimes his mood swings like a weathervane. I sensed it wasn’t a good time to ask about my two-year-old filly. My nephew and I left him alone and resumed petting horses.
I phoned my trainer Sunday morning. He was ill and said so. I asked about the filly. His answer didn’t make sense so I asked him to repeat it. He blamed his pain on something he ate the night before. He sounded in obvious distress so I kept the call short and said goodbye.
He worsened throughout the day but dismissed his sons’ suggestion to go to the hospital. Tough cowboys don’t go to hospitals; they grit their teeth and ride it out. Hospitals do not heal cowboys. Time does.
That night the family debate turned into a son-driven mandate. Ghastly sick and talking gibberish, my trainer caved to his sons’ insistence and three of them drove to the emergency room.
The ER doctor’s diagnosis was swift: a severe gallbladder attack, immediate removal required. My trainer was sent directly to ICU (Intensive Care Unit).
His son called me Sunday night and explained what had happened. On Monday I went to the hospital to visit. There I learned why my trainer was so reluctant to get help: He is 64 years old and had never before been in a hospital.
Now, five days later, he’s due to be released. He is sore and scarred but will soon enough be pacing the barn.
Nobility is nice but sometimes it’s disguised as a jester’s crutch.
Why do smart people put off doing things they know they should? There are four reasons people procrastinate:
1. They aren’t sure how to begin (or how to do whatever’s required). A veteran teacher knows how to run a classroom. A first-day substitute has no clue. A pro coach runs organized practices. A novice volunteer orchestrates disorganized chaos. Uncertainty is an impediment to progress. When faced with an unfamiliar challenge, the meek will shrink.
2. They are overwhelmed or intimidated by the size of the challenge. All of us have comfort zones and consciously stepping outside ours can be difficult. Big tests are less intimidating when broken down to smaller pieces. Doing this is a choice. Some people make that decision and others do not.
3. They do not see a worthwhile reward for doing what’s asked. Kids and messy rooms are synonymous. If Mom won’t straighten it up, what will? A promise of ice cream might do the trick.
4. They don’t see a big enough downside if they don’t do it. Some parents aren’t into ice cream rewards for doing what’s expected. They prefer thunder or lightning (an open palm) to a bare bottom. Lazy people sometimes do things only because they must. And the must is usually some form of punishment.
5. Peripheral things beyond their control seem destined to sabotage success. People looking for excuses often find them. Whereas an optimist sees an impediment as a temporary delay, a pessimist sees it as validation. Defeatism is a loser’s habit; the rewards will come to those who persevere.
In my trainer’s case, he avoided the hospital because his life had never presented a pain that didn’t diminish by toughing it out. Until he learned the severity and consequence of what he was facing, he didn’t see a big enough downside for avoiding the hospital.
All of us are glad he went. We’ve got horses to run and races to win. The winner’s circle is only fun when all of us are together smiling.