Born to be wild: Life lessons from a runaway otter

“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” 

- John Bingham, motivational runner

 

In case you missed it, a Wisconsin zoo announced that it has called off the search for an otter on the loose since March, explaining that the animal “has made the decision to be a wild otter.”

 

It all started when Louie, the now-declared “wild otter,” and his pal Ophelia decided to escape during a snowstorm.

 

Ophelia was recaptured and returned to the zoo, but Louie proved to be more elusive.

 

Zoo officials said Louie was born in the wild and is believed to possess all the skills and instincts necessary to live on his own.

 

I have to admire Louie. Rather than live his life in captivity on someone else’s terms, he decided to live the best life in the wild.

 

When choosing your path in life, why is it that so many settle for less than what their heart desires? 

 

Why do so many people never manage to break free and achieve their dreams? And what can you do to be someone who does does?

 

Here are three life lessons from Louie that can help you today.

 

 

FACE YOUR FEARS

 

Many people in life never pursue their dreams because fear has paralyzed them. Fear is by far the primary reason dreams go unfulfilled.

 

Henry Ford observed, “One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.”

 

What fear(s) are holding you back? What would your life look like if you overcame it?

 

If you truly believe that you were born for something greater than what you are experiencing, then it’s time to face your fears.

 

Lesson from Louie: Don’t let fear prevent you from escaping from the things that would entrap you so that you can live your best life.

 

 

HAVE A PLAN

 

To achieve your dreams, you will need a plan.

 

You may be reading this, and in your mind, you are recounting too many past failures and too few victories. You may think that your time will never come.

 

John Maxwell said, “Good management of bad experiences lead to great personal growth.”

 

We’ve all had bad experiences, and those experiences can propel you to the next level of success when you learn from them; otherwise, they will keep you stuck.

 

Are you committed to good management of bad experiences? You will succeed when you commit to your personal growth and have a plan for your success.

 

Lesson from Louie: You can break free from the things that would hold you back, but only with a plan to get there.

 

 

DON’T LOOK BACK

 

Breaking out of the pack of people who go through life with unfulfilled dreams, you have to make some bold decisions, face your fears, and have a plan.

 

I am reminded of the story of a man who was crabbing along the jetties on a beach. He had a basket full of crabs. A passerby noticed there was no lid on the basket. He asked the man if he was concerned about the crabs crawling out.

 

The man replied, “If there were just one crab in the basket, he could crawl out,” he responded, “but when the basket is full, and one tries to crawl out, the others will reach up and pull him back down, not letting him escape.”

 

And this is what happens when you try to make the move to reaching your dreams. You will have others try to pull you down.

 

You must keep climbing, keep clawing your way to the top; you must not look back. Focus is on what lies ahead, not what lies behind you.

 

Lesson from Louie: Once you break free, don’t look back.

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson