Only Our Best

The time of year has come to assess and set goals, and I expect only the best for this year. Goals, of course, are largely centered on expectations, and how we use them. I was taught that expectations are a deadly thing to have in that they cause disappointment when set too high. I have also come to find that without expectations we cannot hold ourselves accountable for our performance. It is a crappy decision to walk to the line expecting to win the class, however I expect to run clean. Expectations should be set on ourselves, not others. I cannot control which dog is faster than mine. I cannot control if there is a better handler. I cannot control who wins. Setting expectations on aspects of competition you cannot control is setting yourself up for failure. This is something I accept every year, before every competition. I accept the possibility of blown criteria and of horrible runs. In reality it is possible, although it is our job to defy this outcome. We can control these things; these are the things I will not accept without a fight. Only expect and accept the best you can bring.

Expectations set on your own performance keep you honest. It is easy to fail and brush it off claiming you did not have any expectations. You may fool others, but you aren’t fooling yourself. Realistically expectations are necessary to tell us where improvement is needed. If you expect crap, you’ll accept crap. I expect the best of myself, and I will strive to reach the best I have to offer on every run.

I would love to say my goals for 2015 are already set, but frankly they’re just abstract concepts at the moment. Truthfully I’m still busy fixing all that was wrong in 2014, looking back I don’t know how we survived 2014 without the skills we have now. 2013 was a mess in itself and the start of Whimzy’s reform. We are educating each other on this sport, on turns and tunnels and quick releases. We have so much to learn, I want to know we are using every opportunity to its fullest. I will not accept crap and I will not set crappy expectations. We shall aim to get the job done, and let the chips fall where they may. Whimzy is not the fastest dog in the country. I am not the most skilled handler in the country. We are not the best, but I expect nothing than our best this year.