DUCKS DON’T LINE UP

WEEK OF 1/26/26

 

I’m not sure if I’m more sensitive to it, or people are just a lot more flighty lately.  Either way, I’ve been dealing with a lot of people who are adamant that they want to accomplish something — start training, take their training to the next level, compete, whatever — but first they need to “get their ducks in a row.”

Ok, nobody has used that phrase verbatim, but that’s the gist of it.  They need to get everything lined up first.

I’ve worn every hat there is to wear in the martial arts: beginner, cocky beginner, humbled beginner, amateur fighter, professional fighter, winner, loser, teammate, junior coach, senior coach, head coach, instructor, head instructor, babysitter (to adults and children alike), and therapist 🙂

Point is, over the last two decades, across every single role I’ve played, I’ve NEVER had everything lined up perfectly.

Ducks don’t line up in rows.  That’s only in a carnival game.  In the real world, nothing stays put.  If you want some semblance of order and organization you have to BE corralling everything into place at all times.  You cannot “get your ducks in a row;” you can only be in the endless state of trying to get your ducks in a row.  There is no end to it.

So if you say “I need to get my ducks in a row before I do X, Y, Z” you are basically saying “I will never be able to get this done.”

Whatever you choose to do is fine, and I mean that in the most truly genuine way possible.

However, just be real with yourself.  If you aren’t going to do something, just accept it and move on.  Ducks don’t line up.