* The following is an excerpt from my latest book The Bulldog Attitude: Get it or Get Left Behind.
“In order to keep a true perspective of one’s importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him.” – Dereke Bruce
Because of the Bulldog’s scrappy, summit-or-plummet, die-or-be-killed attitude, he usually wins most battles in which he engages. He might get knocked down, but he’s not going to stay down; and it’s this very thing that will eventually cause him to succeed.
But success can be tricky. Success can change one from a bold Bulldog to a punk Poodle. Success, if not handled correctly, can produce arrogance within the little champion that can, inadvertently, turn this noble creature into a pompous Poodle. This would absolutely foul up everything the Bulldog inherently is, namely, a regal creature—in defeat and victory.
Success brings with it temptations that aren’t present during the struggle. And you, my little Bulldog, need to understand and appreciate these unique temptations once success comes your way. Yes, the struggling, focused and friendly Bulldog can turn from a hard working, loving animal to a completely and utterly prissy, cantankerous Poodle once achievement comes—if he doesn’t watch his spirit. To keep one’s head from getting wacky when life starts rewarding righteous dreams and the persevering spirit, you, the Bulldog, must have the following non-negotiable attitudes settled deeply within you now. There are five commandments that will keep you from getting Poodle-weird when your victory comes. Here are the first three:
1. Thou Shall Not Be an SOB. Determine now that you will not ever become an SOB after you’re living in your newly attained prosperity. Success has a weird way of completely ruining people once they get it. I’m sure you have seen it before. You know the story . . . once someone achieves something, finally gets a little notoriety after years of hard work, he ends up dumping his spouse, starts neglecting his kids or discards his true friends and begins to develop a wicked Poodle attitude.
Some of the telltale signs that you’re becoming a jerk are:
– You speak about yourself in the third person. Bulldogs who do this almost never recover—unless life violently kicks them in the butt.
– You begin to believe people when they tell you how great you are, which inevitably leads you to think you can get away with murder.
– You start demanding Evian, and only Evian, in your diamond encrusted dog dish.
– You become extremely anal about the brand of dog food you’ll eat.
– You begin to lose your high quality Bulldog friends, and you start attracting Shih Tzus, Pekinese and self-obsessed Poodles.
Remember the words of that old Bulldog, King Solomon, in Proverbs: “pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” To keep from getting destroyed and from doing a face plant into the concrete after you succeed, stay humble—and if need be—duct tape your feet to the planet to keep yourself from floating off the earth, Your Loftiness.
2. Thou Shall Not Gloat Over Thine Enemies. Another way to stay the big boy and not stoop to the pathetic Poodle level is to never gloat over your enemies when your success comes.
A Bulldog will have an abundance of enemies. Envious Poodles will hate the Bulldog simply because they have chosen to settle for the rut, and the Bulldog has his sights set on the stars; therefore, there will be plenty of ill will wished upon the Bulldog by the Poodles. And that is my point: Envy, jealousy and the ill will it wishes are part of the make-up of Poodles and wimps and not, I said, not, Bulldogs.
Understand, Bulldog, that like a football, the harder you are kicked the higher you will go. That’s why you can show largesse towards those who hate you and try to harm you. They are life’s tools to forge your indomitable spirit. They are God’s hammers to beat you into the overcomer that you need to be.
Think about it.
What if you didn’t have their opposition? What if you didn’t have their curses and threats? I’ll tell you what would happen: You probably would have never developed your Bulldog attitude.
And trust me, your prosperity is punishing them enough without your having to say or do anything against them.
3. Thou Shall Not Sit on Thy Butt Praising Thyself. Hey, Bulldog, enjoy your success and congratulate yourself for your accomplishments—but do not sit there for too long, or you’ll rot. You’ll start getting fat. You’ll start thinking that nothing can go wrong and that you’ll always be at the top of the world looking down on creation.
Stop that immediately, or you’ll become a passive Poodle.
Bulldogs do not sit around for too long looking in the mirror and telling themselves how pretty and how great they are. They are looking for the next battle, the next obstacle to conquer and are always cautious of taking too long of a break between achievements.
The Bulldog, after attaining his goal, will move on to the next challenge. The Bulldog will not set up an altar around an award he won and worship it. That’s what pathetic Poodles do. The Bulldog understands that if he is not careful his prolonged enjoyment of his current accomplishment might keep him from future greatness.
Doug’s articles have also appeared on several other print and online news sources, including The Washington Times, The Daily Caller, Fox Nation, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Examiner, The Blaze, American Hunter Magazine and ABC News.
He’s been a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel and Fox Business Channel as well as many nationally syndicated radio shows across the nation — which, he believes, officially makes him a super hero.
In addition, Doug is an occasional guest host on New York City’s WABC (The Jason Mattera Show) and he is a weekly guest, every Friday at 7:45am[et], on America’s Morning News (155 markets).
Giles and his wife Margaret have two daughters: Hannah, who devastated ACORN with her 2009 nation shaking undercover videos, and Regis who is an NRA columnist, huntress and Second Amendment activist.
DG’s interests include guns, big game hunting, big game fishing, fine art, cigars, helping wounded warriors, and being a big pain in the butt to people who dislike God and the USA.
Speaking Engagements.
Doug Giles speaks to college, business, community, church, advocacy and men’s groups throughout the United States and internationally. His expertise includes issues of Christianity and culture, masculinity vs. metrosexuality, big game hunting and fishing, raising righteous kids in a rank culture, the Second Amendment, personal empowerment, politics, and social change. For availability, please contact us.
Props.
“Doug Giles is a good man, and his bambinas are fearless. His girls Hannah and Regis Giles are indefatigable. I admire the Giles clan from afar.”
- Dennis Miller
“Doug Giles must be some kind of a great guy if CNN wants to impugn him.”
- Rush Limbaugh
“Doug Giles is a substantive and funny force for traditional values.”
- Ann Coulter, best-selling author
“Doug Giles speaks the truth … he’s a societal watchdog … a funny bastard.”
- Ted Nugent, rock icon
“Doug is funny and insightful. Giles is always spot-on with his analysis and so incredibly hilarious, as well. Whether you’re 15 or 50, if you love God and America, Doug Giles is for you!”
- Jason Mattera, NYT best-selling author of Obama Zombies and Editor-in-Chief, Human Events
“Doug is a raucous and rowdy mix of old-school, traditional conservative values with the kind of eff-you attitude folks like Ted Nugent have made millions on. He’s one part rebellious rock star, one part crusading missionary, and another part rough rider.”
- S. E. Cupp, NYT best-selling author of Why You’re Wrong About The Right and Host of The S. E. Cupp Show on GBTV.com
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