Zenyatta’s owners purchased her at a bargain price because the filly had a rash at the time of the yearling sale, so she didn’t quite look her best. Her owners saw something quite different. They saw her heart and her spirit! They took the time to listen to her trainer, and to those who are around her everyday, to help them understand how she works best.  Instead of racing her at the typical age of 3 and risking, “breaking her down early” they took her trainer’s advice. They waited to race her until she had fully matured and was mentally ready to race. They knew that she had the heart and soul of a winner! At the age of 6, she has now won every race she has run, with purses exceeding $3 million. If she wins the Breeder’s Cup this weekend, she can retire with $3M more and a record that is remarkable!

Listening is the key here. How many times do we charge ahead to, “win the race” only to fall far behind the pack? Do we take the time to truly listen to the needs of those around us, in business, at home, in the community? Are we patient enough to always wait for the right opportunity to present itself? Do we stay, “in training” to keep ourselves on top of our game, or do we just coast along and hope that we finish somewhere in the pack? Do we communicate in a way that is meaningful and that brings purpose? Perhaps we can all learn a few lessons from a horse who went from, “rash to riches” and those around her who taught everyone the lessons learned from pursuing a passion and staying true to what is the hidden potential!