04/13/26
STORY
A wise Cherokee chief was speaking to his grandson about life.
“A fight is going on inside me”, he said to the young boy.
“A fight between two wolves.”
The young boy listened closely as his grandfather continued.
“One wolf is evil. He is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
The grandfather paused for a moment and then continued.
“The other is good. He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.”
The young boy thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
I heard this story years ago, and it has stuck with me ever since.
Within each of us, there’s a battle going on.
On one side, there’s the part of us fueled by fear and self-preservation.
On the other side, there’s the part of us fueled by love and compassion.
Through our thoughts, words, and actions, we are feeding these “wolves”.
It’s a decision we make, moment to moment.
If we are more intentional about “which wolf we feed”…
And choose to feed that which is good in us…
We become more peaceful and compassionate.
So in moments of decision, I invite you to ask yourself…
“Which wolf am I feeding?”
OBSERVATION
Rather than research, this week I’m going to share an observation from a recent monumental event.
As Artemis II reached a record-breaking distance from Earth of 252,756 miles, the astronauts made an announcement that made them tear up.
The crew marked the history-making moment by naming one of two newly discovered moon craters after Commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll, who died of cancer in 2020.
What a powerful moment in human history, fueled with such thoughtfulness, love, and kindness.
STRATEGY
Check in with yourself this week by asking a simple question:
“Which wolf am I feeding?”
Reflect on your thoughts, words, and actions from that frame of mind.
Do this without judgment.
Be aware of what’s truly behind the decision you make…
And choose to feed the “good wolf”.
Rooting for you,
Jay (inviting you to feed the right wolf)
Global keynote speaker
Host of the “Unstuck” podcast
Father to an amazing young woman who’s turning 14 this week!