The Relentless Pursuit: Lessons from a Squirrel on a Greased Pole

The other day, I was minding my own business when I saw something that caught my attention—a squirrel trying to climb a greased pole to get to a bird feeder. Now, if you've ever seen one of those greased poles, you know it's nearly impossible to climb. But this squirrel? It just kept trying. Over and over again, it would race up the pole only to slide back down. I thought, Man, what a waste of time.

But then, something amazing happened.

The squirrel stopped, walked away, and climbed a nearby tree. I assumed it had given up. But just as I turned to go inside, I saw the squirrel launch itself from the tree, land directly on top of the bird feeder, and devour the seeds.

I stood there, stunned. That squirrel wasn't crazy—it was committed.

And it made me wonder: What if we approached our goals with the same relentless tenacity?

Commit to the Result, Not the Method

One of the biggest reasons people fall short of their goals is that they get too attached to how they'll achieve them. We get so fixated on the route that we forget the objective. That squirrel didn’t care that the pole didn’t work; it cared about the seeds. It stayed committed to the result and adjusted the approach when necessary.

When you're laser-focused on the outcome, the method becomes irrelevant. If one strategy fails, pivot. If one path is blocked, find another. The destination remains the same—it's just the road that might need changing.

Ask Yourself:

• Am I focused on the result or stuck in my method?
• Am I willing to try a new approach if the current one isn’t working?

Silence the Noise: The Power of Focus

That squirrel didn’t care if I thought it was crazy. It didn’t care that people were watching or that it failed multiple times. It had one objective: get the seeds.

Meanwhile, most of us get so distracted by external opinions. We worry about how we look, what others think, or if our effort seems ridiculous. We check likes, shares, and comments more than we check progress toward our goals.

In reality, nobody who's living their dreams spends time judging how you pursue yours. The loudest critics are usually the ones who gave up on their own ambitions.

Your job: Put on mental blinders and run your race.

Practical Focus Techniques:

• Morning Goal Reminder: Every morning, write down your primary objective.
• Digital Detox: Limit social media scrolling during work blocks.
• Micro Goals: Break larger goals into smaller, immediate tasks.

Stop Announcing—Start Executing

How often do we say, "I'm about to start this big thing"? Or "Just wait until next month—I'm going to crush it"?

Newsflash: People who are genuinely chasing something don’t have time to announce it. They’re too busy working.

The squirrel never stopped to announce its plan to the world. It climbed, slid, climbed again, adjusted, and ultimately succeeded.

Commitment isn’t about saying you're committed; it’s about showing it—repeatedly—through consistent action.

Learn from Nature: Take the Leap

When the squirrel realized the pole was impossible to climb, it didn’t sit there and sulk. It didn't whine or complain. It walked away, analyzed the situation, climbed the tree, and then made a bold leap.

That leap required faith. It didn’t know if it would make it. It didn’t know if the branch would hold or if the trajectory was right. But it trusted its instinct, gathered its courage, and went for it.

Too many of us sit at the base of life’s tree, paralyzed by what ifs. We obsess over perfection, waiting for the right moment, the right conditions, or the right feeling.

Success doesn't come to those who wait for perfection; it comes to those who leap despite uncertainty.

Actionable Steps:

1. Identify the Pole: What’s the goal you keep trying to reach?
2. Find the Tree: What’s an alternative path to get there?
3. Take the Leap: Commit to trying the new approach, even if it feels uncertain.

Your Mountain, Your Climb

The squirrel didn’t care how many times it failed. It didn’t care that it had to change tactics. It only cared about one thing: the seeds.

In life, your goal might be a career milestone, a business venture, personal growth, or a fitness transformation. Whatever it is, stop worrying about how it looks. Stop caring about the opinions of people who aren't putting in the work. Focus on the goal. Adjust the approach. And when necessary, take the leap.

Because just like that squirrel, if you’re relentless enough, the seeds will be yours.