January brings a familiar pattern. You start the year with high energy and new resolutions. By early February, most people quit. This happens to about 80% of people. It is not because they are lazy. It is because they set goals that kill momentum before it starts. Many people rely on SMART goals. These are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound. They sound good on paper. They live in the logical part of your brain. The problem is that growth does not happen in safety. Dogs and humans grow when there is desire, emotion, and a challenge. SMART goals are often uninspiring. They do not give you a reason to push through hard days. Dream Driven Goals I want you to try DUMB goals instead. These are dream driven, not method driven. SMART goals focus on the method. DUMB goals focus on your heart and vision. They change your energy and your mood. People around you will feel the difference when you have a vision that lights you up. Examples of dream driven goals include: Becoming the calmest person in the room. Being the clearest leader your dog has ever had. Waking up with energy and purpose every day. Aligning your life and your business so they feel right. You must decide who you need to become before you decide what you need to do. In dog training, we start with the picture of the finished dog. We see the outcome first. Then we break it into small actions. Life works the same way. Use Structure to Support Vision I am not against SMART goals. They are excellent for execution. They are terrible for inspiration. Use them only after you set your vision. Once you know who you are becoming, the structure keeps you on track. Think of a dog. You do not use precision tools until the dog understands the game. You build desire and relationship first. If you go straight to the tools, you micromanage the life out of the training. If you go to the gym without a vision and overwork yourself, you will not go back. You must have the "why" to survive the "how." Stack Your Wins People quit because they focus on one massive goal. If they do not hit it immediately, they lose motivation. You need to stack small wins to build momentum. Momentum builds confidence. If you want to improve your fitness, do not just focus on the weight you want to lose. Focus on showing up four days this week. If you want a better relationship with your dog, schedule three short training sessions. Put these on your calendar. Celebrate when you finish them. These small links create a chain of success. Practice Self Regulation When you feel overwhelmed, do not bark. Reset. Your dog reflects your energy. If you are frustrated, your dog will be too. Use your breath to train your nervous system. Inhale through your nose for four seconds. Hold for two seconds. Let the breath out slowly for six seconds. Do this three times. You might need to do this twenty times a day. That is fine. Consistency beats intensity every time. Your future depends on the choices you make today. Stop playing it safe. Start with a vision that makes you sit up straighter. Then build the structure to get there. Your dog is waiting for you to lead.

The new year usually starts with a rush of resolutions and high energy. By mid-January, that motivation often fades. Reality hits, schedules fill up, and the weight of your responsibilities returns. If you want your dog to change this year, you have to look at the person holding the leash first. In this first episode of 2026, Duke Ferguson breaks down why dogs do not rise to our intentions. They rise to our state. A stressed or distracted human creates a stressed or distracted dog. Duke discusses the power of regulation, the importance of vision over goals, and why "Breathe Don't Bark" is a philosophy for life, not just a slogan. In this episode, you will learn: Why your dog needs your presence more than your perfection. How to use the "Breathe Don't Bark" technique to regulate your nervous system in 60 seconds. The three questions your dog would ask you to work on this year. Why vision must come before you set any specific training goals.

This episode lands in that strange stretch between Christmas and New Year’s when the leftovers are hanging on, the schedule is gone, and most people feel stuck between who they were this year and who they want to become next year. I talk about regret, pressure, the fear of setting goals you are worried you will miss again, and why this week makes those feelings louder. I walk you through how high performers approach this time of year and how I reset my own mindset before stepping into 2026. I share how your dog rises when you rise and why your state shapes their behavior more than anything you teach. I also take you back to the season when coaching saved me at twenty-one and how that experience still guides my work today. If you want clarity, courage and a stronger start to 2026, this is your bridge into it.

n this special Christmas Day edition of The Weekly Recall, I get real with you about the story behind my faith and why Christmas is more than a holiday for me. I walk you through the five symbols tattooed on my hand, from Jesus coming down to his return, and how that simple picture keeps me grounded when life gets dark. I share some of my own history, the losses, the trauma, the messy Christmases, the near misses, and why I still choose gratitude, joy, and service. If Christmas hits a nerve for you, if it feels heavy, lonely, or confusing, this one is for you. We talk about honest prayer, breathing instead of barking, serving others when you feel empty, and how to hold on to hope when you feel like you are running on fumes. I end the episode by praying for you, right where you are, and inviting you into a deeper walk with the One this whole season is actually about.

Imposter syndrome is that nasty voice that tells you you are not good enough, not ready, and everyone else knows more than you do. Duke walks you through what imposter syndrome really is, why caring trainers feel it the most, and how to trade that spiral of doubt for confidence, courage, and clear action.

In this Weekly Recall, Duke breaks down where imposter syndrome comes from, how it shows up in your dog training and business, and simple practices you can use every day to quiet the noise and step into the trainer and leader your dog and clients need.

What you will hear in this episode

1. How imposter syndrome shows up for dog trainers
   Things like comparing your work to other trainers online, feeling like a fraud when clients pay you, hesitating to raise your rates, or believing your success is just luck while your mistakes define you.

2. Why the trainers who care the most often doubt themselves the most
   High standards, perfectionism, old stories from childhood, fear of judgment, lack of mentorship, and constant comparison all feed that inner critic. Duke explains why this is actually a sign you care deeply, not a sign that you are broken.

3. The thought audit reset
   A simple four step way to notice the limiting thought, name it as imposter syndrome, neutralize it with real evidence, and replace it with a stronger identity as a committed trainer who grows every day.

4. Using self check ins and visualization
   How to pause, scan your body, notice your breath and self talk, then use visualization and breath to see and feel yourself handling tough sessions, reactive dogs, and coaching moments with calm leadership.

5. Five habits to crush imposter syndrome
   Small daily wins in training, more play with your dog, taking action instead of only studying, breath work and prayer to regulate your nervous system, and simple confidence building routines you can repeat every day.

6. The truth about courage and confidence
   Why you do not wait to feel confident before you act. You act while you are scared, that is courage, and confidence grows after you show up and do the reps.

If this episode hits home, Duke invites you to apply for a free coaching strategy session at dukeferguson.com, grab the free dog training and breath work video series, and check out the UPX community for deeper coaching on dog training, mindset, and breath work.

Habits run the show, for you and for your dog. In this episode of Weekly Recall I break down the habit loop, cue, routine, reward, and show how the same pattern drives reactivity on leash and procrastination on the couch. You will learn how to spot the real cue behind your dog’s barking or lunging, and how to catch that early alert phase so you can mark, reward, and start teaching breathe, do not bark instead. I tie it back to your own life too, things like complaining, scrolling, quitting early, and how to replace those routines with simple, repeatable habits that actually support your goals. If you are ready to stop relying on motivation and start building habits that stick, for both you and your dog, this episode will walk you through it. You will walk away with clear questions to journal on, one habit to build, one habit to break, and a new slogan to live by, breathe, do not bark.

If you’ve ever complained that your dog gets distracted, today’s episode might sting a little. Because you and I get distracted just as fast. Sometimes faster. Notifications, scrolling, noise, the constant buzz that pulls you away from your goals. Your dog deals with squirrels. You deal with your inbox. Only one of you has a chance of winning that battle, and it’s not you. This week I’m breaking down how focus works for you and your dog. Why you lose it. How to build it. And how to protect it so you can train better, live better, and stop feeling like your day runs you. You’ll hear simple things you can use right away. Ways to dial in your environment. How to add the right level of challenge. Why your breath matters more than you think. And a little exercise that teaches your dog to look away from distraction and back to you. If you want to stop going through the motions and start getting real traction in your life, your work, and your training, this one will help you get locked in.

Procrastination loves to steal your time. It keeps you from training your dog, growing your skills, and doing the things you already know will make your life better. This week I’m breaking it down so you can see what’s really going on under the surface, stop avoiding the work, and start taking small steps that build real momentum. You’ll learn why you hesitate, how to get moving, and how to use routines and tiny wins to stay consistent. Your dog will feel the shift too. Let’s crush procrastination together.