In a Native American legend, it is told that one evening, a Cherokee elder was teaching his grandson about life.

“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight, and it is between two wolves. This battle that goes on between the two wolves is inside us all.

One wolf is Evil. He is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

He continued, “The other is Good. He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” Wisely, the grandfather simply smiled and replied, “The one you feed.”

Practices that satisfy one wolf over the other is determined by having the right mindset

While I was on active duty in the military, we undertook physical training that at times pushed us to the limit. Trainers were there to test and push service members to strengthen more than just our bodies, but our minds. So, when we get into the harsh conditions of combat, we’d be more likely to survive because we would not have lost the battle in our minds.

Daily we engage in mental battles. They occur at work, school, home, or traffic, in perceived threats, conflict, temptations, or tests among others. When our minds are strong, we increase the likelihood of exhibiting the courage needed to consistently feed the right wolf, even when the wrong one may be distracting us.

Three of twelve ways to strengthen our brain according to Dr. Daniel Amen, MD, in his article on BrainMD entitled “12 Ways to Strengthen Your Brain” are,

1. Dedicate yourself to new learning.
2. Improve your skills at things you already do.
3. Break the routine of your life to stimulate new parts of your brain.

For God has not given us a spirt of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

(NKJV, 2 Timothy 1:7)