39. Learning from Jeeps and Ducks

In this episode of The Good Guy Corner, Coach Mimi talks about the often overlooked power of thoughts and how they influence our lives. 

She uses the example of the #duckduckjeep movement to illustrate the points in a fun way. 

Coach Mimi also teaches that thoughts and actions are two parts of a 5-part formula that can turn thoughts into a superpower in relationships.  She promises to share this formula in the next episode.

For more help from Coach Mimi visit the website: thegoodguycorner.com

Transcript

Hi Guys, I’m Coach Mimi, here in The Good Guy Corner with more help to stop suffering in your life and relationships.

Today I want to talk about the power of thoughts and that everything we humans do comes from our thoughts.  And I want to use Jeeps and rubber ducks as my examples. 

Have you heard of the Duckduckjeep movement? If you’ve been paying attention as you’re driving around, you’ve likely seen Jeeps with rubber ducks on the dashboard.  Have you seen that and wondered about it?

Well it did. I started seeing lots and lots of them so I looked into it and it turns there’s this movement called Duckduckjeep that started in the summer of 2020 when a woman in Canada saw a really cool tricked-out Jeep in a parking lot and wanted to do something nice and share her admiration. So she looked around in her own car, which was also jeep, to find something to write on.  And she happened to have a small rubber duck and a marker. So she simply wrote “Cool Jeep” on the duck and left it on that Jeep. There’s more to the story but the short version is that a picture of it was put on Instagram and that was the beginning of the duckduckjeep movement that has now spread to many parts of the world.

If you look up duckduckjeep you’ll find that there are thousands and thousands of social media posts about people leaving ducks and notes on Jeeps. Go look it up. It’s quite fascinating. 

Now why would I be talking about this here, on the podcast?  Well it’s because it’s a good demonstration of the power of thoughts. 

This lady who started duckduckjeep had a thought like, “I want to do something nice.” and then she did.  And many other people have followed it with thoughts like, “Oh that’s so cool! I want to do that too.” or “I’m going to get some ducks and spread some kindness.” and then they have taken action on those thoughts.  And the movement has spread.

Actions start with thoughts.  Those actions couldn’t have happened without thinking about it first.

Now I want to take another angle on this and look at the receivers of the ducks.  I saw many messages on social media from those people who said things like, “I got ducked today, this is so awesome!”  “There are good people in this town.” and  “I was having a crappy day and this duck totally turned my day around.” 

Now, let’s be clear that a rubber duck can’t actually turn someone’s day around, but it can invite them to have different thoughts…maybe something like, “Wow, there are nice people in the world.  Maybe things aren’t as bad as I thought. Someone thought my jeep was cool.  I think it’s cool too.”  It’s their thoughts that actually caused them to feel better and turn their day around.

Again, those thoughts, those sentences they were thinking is what changed things for them, not the physical duck on their jeep.

Now let me tell you a little more about this… I also came across posts where Jeep owners shared how much they hate this trend. They hate when someone leaves a duck on their hood or their door handle. They think it’s stupid and when they do find one on their Jeep, they chuck it as far as they can. 

Now that’s the power of their thinking, If they’re thinking “This is stupid. I hate this. I wish people would leave my jeep alone!” then they’re going to act that way.

Again, these are sentences they are thinking that then dictate how they act.  The ducks didn’t do it, it was their thoughts about the ducks.  It was the sentences they were believing.

So, some jeep owners hate the duck thing and others love it. It all depends on what they are thinking about it. 

Now this may seem like a very simple thing… that thoughts create our actions… but it’s actually one of the most overlooked powers that we humans have. And when we’re overlooking it we’re likely reacting from default thoughts rather than acting from intentional thoughts.

So I want to encourage you to really be noticing your thoughts.  Especially when you’re doing or saying something you don’t like.  When you’re not showing up as the best version of yourself, recognize that it came from some sentence…something you were thinking.  

In the next episode I’m going to share with you a simple formula that helps make this even more clear.  Thoughts and Actions are two parts of a 5-part formula and knowing about this formula can truly turn your thoughts into a superpower in your relationships.  This formula will really help you show up as the higher version of yourself rather than the person who reacts and does things you regret way more than you’d like to. 

So be here with me next time, In The Good Guy Corner for that help.