The story of the battle between two wolves is very applicable to leveraging our biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
For downloadable, actionable strategies and tactics to leverage biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, visit the resource store, Launch here. Chapters are arranged by topic so those of interest can be selected and each are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits through Learner+.
There is a well known story regarding a grandfather talking with his grandson about the inner battle between two wolves. This is widely attributed to a Native American Cherokee tradition. As the story goes, the grandfather explains to the grandson that within him there is a battle between two wolves. One wolf, widely regarded as the good wolf, demonstrates attributes of optimism, hope, love, joy, and peace at heart. The other wolf, regarded as the evil wolf, displays features such as greed, sorrow, regret, jealousy, and anger. Upon learning about this scenario, the grandson asks his grandfather which wolf win the battle. The response is that the wolf who will win the battle is “the one we feed“.
The commonly described understanding of the story relates to the concept that the features and attributes which we demonstrate most often are those upon which we place an intentional practice and effort to exhibit. The concept being that if we make the deliberate choice to demonstrate features associated with the good wolf, this is what will emerge. On the other hand, if we often engage in activities, thoughts, and behaviors more consistent with the bad or evil wolf it is those features which will most often be demonstrated.
It is informative to consider this story from the perspective of the principles and concepts underlying the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete. Not only can this provide greater insights into the application of the moral of the story, but also introduce additional practices to reinforce our ability to work towards the attributes and traits we most want to exhibit.
The first consideration from this perspective with regards to the story relates to the concept of deliberately choosing which wolf we feed. As noted above, this relates essentially to deciding which attributes we most want to live our lives by. It is important to recognize from the perspective of the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete, that any time we are making a choice about our thoughts, actions, and behaviors this will be strongly influenced, if not outright determined, by our underlying biological state at the time. This concept has been discussed in past articles in greater detail. Utilizing the framing of the story of the two wolves, we can readily understand how this applies. When we are in anchored and grounded states it is likely that we will be feeding the good wolf. Conversely, when we are in activated, attacking, anxious, overwhelmed, and shutdown states it is more often the case that we will be feeding the evil or bad wolf. This occurs due to the attributes and traits which will inherently emerge from each of these states. This describes that our choice is not static but rather is dynamic and continuously changing. In addition, it is not truly a voluntary choice as it emerges from our biological states.
With the above understanding in mind, we can readily appreciate how shifting our biological state will strongly influence which wolf we feed and, therefore, which attributes emerge. It is through this ability to adjust our state that we can exert influence over our choice between the two wolves. We can also utilize the recognition of the traits we are displaying as an indicator of our underlying biological state.
A second important consideration with respect to the story relates to how we can develop the ability to shift our biological states such that the attributes we wish to display are more likely to emerge over time. From my perspective, there is significant overlap in this regard with the practice of manifestation. This practice has been described in a previous article and is exceptionally well detailed by James Doty, particularly in his book Mind Magic: The Neuroscience of Manifestation and How It Changes Everything.
To summarize, within this practice, we intentionally and deliberately emphasize certain features, traits, attributes, or outcomes which we most want to realize. On account of the underlying neurophysiology, these concepts becoming engrained within our brain on a subconscious level, thereby influencing our salience network. This allows our brain to instantaneously scan beneath conscious awareness and identify those cues and scenarios around us which are most likely to contribute to those factors that we have identified. Through this process, it is more likely that we will realize our manifested goals on account of directing more neurophysiological attention, both consciously and subconsciously, to those goals.
While the practice of manifestation is often utilized for particular outcomes, it can also be employed to influence traits and attributes we wish to exhibit. In essence, thinking, behaving, and acting in those ways which we choose can be considered an outcome in and of itself. By following the practice of manifestation, and focusing on these particular attributes, we make it more likely that we will demonstrate these attributes over time. This is most effective when combined with a deliberate and intentional practice to develop the necessary skills.
Through the process of neuroplasticity, which has been described previously, we can understand how increasing the number of repetitions in which we demonstrate the traits and attributes which we would like will lead to further emergence of these attributes. This can become a self reinforcing cycle, whereby we are able to demonstrate and live with these attributes on a more frequent basis. Ultimately, this can result in embodiment of these attributes such that they are emergent properties on a more frequent basis.
Through the above description of manifestation and neuroplasticity, it can be readily understood that we are always manifesting our traits and attributes. This is on the basis of the understanding that whatever characteristics we spend time emphasizing and focusing upon will be those which become engrained within our subconscious and influence our salience network. Ultimately this returns to the concept of the wolf and the one which will win the battle is that which we feed. From this framework, by placing our attention on particular attributes, whether intentionally or not, those which we demonstrate most frequently will become the ones which are engrained within our subconscious, thereby influencing our salience network and essentially shifting our behaviors further in that direction through the process of neuroplasticity. From my perspective, this is the underlying neurophysiological basis for the concept that the wolf which we feed is the one which will win.
It can be readily understood from the above discussion that when we apply the framework of the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete in combination with practices of manifestation, we can develop clear strategies to influence those attributes and traits which we most want to demonstrate. Through repetition of these traits and attributes over time they will become more deeply engrained and embodied, thereby increasing the likelihood of their emergence in the future. It is also important to understand, however, that as humans it is unavoidable and inevitable that we will experience shifts in our biological state, such that the features of the bad wolf will emerge at times. In response to such situations, implementation of tactics to shift our biological state back towards anchored and grounded states provides the opportunity for the good wolf features to re-emerge.
Ultimately, if we are to pursue health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance to the greatest degree possible, it is highly likely that we would choose to have good wolf features emerge as often as possible. Utilizing the above framework, we can create strategies whereby we develop the necessary mind-based and body-base skills to facilitate this objective.
To learn more, including about polyvagal informed coaching for healthcare professionals and others in high demand domains, please visit www.darindavidson.com.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
For downloadable, actionable strategies and tactics to leverage biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, visit the resource store, Launch here. Chapters are arranged by topic so those of interest can be selected and each are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits through Learner+.
REFERENCE
Doty, JR. Mind Magic: The Neuroscience of Manifestation and How It Changes Everything. New York: Avery, 2024.