Birds have graced our planet for over 235 million years – so it’s no surprise that they’ve learned a thing or two about survival.
We could discuss their feather patterns, foraging behaviors, predator evasion tactics, migration, habitat, nesting strategies & hundreds of other details, but much of their hardiness boils down to one simple trait:
They are straight-up assholes.
That’s right.
Birds are bold, ballsy & brash, and they don’t give a damn whether you like it or you don’t.
While there’s no shortage of life, love & business gurus out there aiming to tell you how you can get ahead, most are predictably snooze-worthy with their faux-spirational gems including:
“Don’t look back – you’re not going that way.”
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”
or…
“The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.”
You still awake?
But while some of these “coaches” are regurgitating useless drivel, members of Class Aves are giving chumps a beatdown & showing the world how it’s done.
So if you want to know what it really takes to be successful, feast your neurons on these 5 reasons birds win at life.
1. They don’t wait for an invitation.
Even if you haven’t studied birds, you’ve probably watched them outside your window, while on a hike, or at a feeder. And if so, you may have noticed how downright savage they can be.
Indeed, birds don’t wait for an invitation.
They don’t ask permission.
They don’t worry about being polite.
And they don’t overthink & imagine obstacles until the opportunity to act has passed them by.
Rather, they take quick & decisive action – demanding a seat at life’s table whether one is offered or not.
Because that’s what it takes.
All too often, we spend our time agonizing over our options & giving inconsequential decisions too much headspace.
But the key to being productive is to avoid stagnating in the quicksand of indecision.
That’s exactly why successful folks automate decision-making & avoid wasting time on minor life decisions – freeing them up to spend less time thinking & more time getting things done.
2. They’re fit AF.
You know that little hummingbird that visits your feeder every year?
That little boss – the one that weighs less than a nickel – may eat twice its body weight in food each day, beat its wings 53 times per second & covers the Gulf of Mexico in one swoop during its annual migration.
And the Arctic Tern? This slender bird covers almost 50,000 miles a year on its trek from its wintering grounds in the Arctic to their wintering grounds in the Antarctic.
While we’re on the topic of migration, the Great Snipe can reach speeds of up to 60 mph, and the Bar-tailed Godwit can cover nearly 7,000 miles without stopping.
Try something similar & you’d have to run 4-minute miles for 80 hours straight.
And while that won’t happen anytime soon, it still pays to be physically fit & active.
Especially if you’re a fan of burning off stress, improving lung function, controlling your weight, reducing your risk for cardiovascular disease & diabetes, being more productive, and generally living longer.
3. They don’t give a damn.
Whether it’s stealing your ice cream, giving you a beat down when you’re trying to help their youngsters, or shifting traffic cones, birds have no use for what they’re “supposed” to do.
Instead, they do as they damn well please.
We all know what it’s like to live under the cloud of “should’s” and “supposed to’s.” And in this increasingly technological age, there’s no shortage of people dipshits lining up to tell you how you “should” be living your life.
How you should look, what you should weigh, who you should love, what you should eat, what you should make, where you should live, how you should feel, how you should react….
But how you “should” live & what you “should” do is up to you.
Despite what we hear on the regular, you don’t have to be universally liked.
You don’t have to live by the rules that others have set for your life.
You’re allowed to live & love in ways that are most meaningful to you, and to embrace that bit of madness that is yours alone.
In short, you do you.
And – just like these badass birds – you don’t have to give a damn whether others like it or they don’t.
4. They’re resourceful.
Birds are unarguably brilliant, and their cerebral superpowers have helped them adapt over millions of years.
But that’s not because life has handed them what they need. It’s a direct result of their tenacity to make bold moves & a willingness to devise innovative solutions to their quandaries.
Just watch this Goffin’s Cockatoo learn to open a lock to get a treat.
And these crows that have learned to crack nuts that they couldn’t open otherwise.
And these Keas that have been momentarily inconvenienced by our sad attempts to dissuade them.
The fact is that resources are transient, and you won’t always have what you need when you think you need it.
And in those moments, the simplest solution is to stall, stagnate or concede that all hope is lost.
But if you’re willing to re-evaluate what you do have with an open mind & a fresh perspective, ask yourself the right questions, and maintain a willingness to bend the rules – you’ll be poised to progress where others bow out.
5. They’re resilient
In over 20 years of working outdoors, I’ve seen birds overcome the unthinkable.
They’ve lost mates, eyes, wings, toes, legs & youngsters.
They’ve taken on hawks, owls, neighborhood cats, dogs, people & watched their young be eaten alive by fire ants.
They’ve had cactus spines protruding from their eyelids, been hit by cars, shot by heartless pricks & walked the knife edge of starvation in winter.
Yet – often inexplicably – they survive.
They aren’t afforded the luxury of grieving for long. Rather, their only option is moving forward.
And they do it with a grace & fortitude that is almost unimaginable to the rest of us.
Yet as difficult as it is, their resilience may be the most remarkable reason birds win at life.
Described by Eric Greitens as, “the virtue that enables people to move through hardship and become better,” it requires grit & persistence amidst your darkest moments.
While the challenge of building & maintaining this momentum can feel insurmountable – it is possible.
By making connections, remaining flexible, taking time for self-care, reaching out for help & trusting in your own abilities, you can navigate even the toughest of life’s trials.
Bottomline
There’s no doubt about it – birds are sassy, brilliant, resilient & resourceful.
They don’t ask permission.
They defy convention.
They make the most of the tools at their disposal.
And they can dominate life despite their suffering.
So here’s to living life with the fuss & fortitude of a Belted Kingfisher, the ballsy indignation of a Red-shouldered Hawk & the plucky determination of an American Crow.
If your chips are all in, you might just be unstoppable.