The Bison Mindset: We’re told to be strong. But even strength, without wisdom or support, can lead us straight into danger.
'I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you. ' Psalms 32:8-9
I recently heard that the bison is the only animal in nature that, in the midst of a storm, turns to face it head-on. Most animals turn their backs or run to hide. But the bison, knowing it’s the most efficient way, walks straight into it—and through it.
Last week, my fiancée and I had the opportunity to run the Spartan Race in Montana. The day before, we swung by Yellowstone and saw a bison—many bison—in real time.
Seeing one up close changes things. These creatures are massive—muscle and presence. But what struck me wasn’t just their size. It was the thought that, when the storm comes, they don’t flinch. They don’t run. They face it. Strength not in retreat, but in direction.
No matter the obstacle—whether it’s a challenge you choose, like a Spartan Race or a personal goal, or something heavier, like addiction or past wounds—we’re meant to face it head-on. Not just because it’s faster, but because momentum builds strength. Endurance in motion is hard to stop.
The bison mindset, though, is only as strong as it’s harnessed.
The day after we left Yellowstone, I saw a tragic post: a bison had died after wandering into the geothermal basin near the Grand Prismatic Spring. It walked into the rising steam (approaching it like a storm) and stepped onto the fragile, crust-like ground surrounding the spring. The surface gave way. As it tried to leap out of the boiling water, the ground gave way again—pulling it deeper into the scalding earth. What looked like strength became collapse. It was a storm no creature could survive alone.
I share this to point out that the David Goggins–style bison mindset is only useful if it’s grounded. Without boundaries or awareness of the dangers around him, the bison charged ahead with strength, but it led to his downfall. This was a storm he couldn’t endure—one that might’ve been avoided with the presence of others.
In our lives, we all face storms - many we can and should face. But some storms can’t be faced alone. And if we try, we may find ourselves in deeper trouble than we expected.
So I challenge you today: identify, even if only in your thoughts, the storm you need to face. Is it an addiction? A relationship? An event from your past?
As you name it, pause and ask:
What will it take to overcome?
And as you make a plan to face it, think about who you need to bring with you.
Life is full of storms. We’re not meant to face them alone.
What storm do you need to face head-on this week?
Who are you going to bring with you?