KB116 - The Musk Deer

Mindset
The Story of the Musk Deer

Today, I want to discuss an ancient parable about a Musk Deer that is both tragic and enlightening.

Here’s how it goes…

High in the Himalayan mountains, a musk deer catches a whiff of the most intoxicating scent it’s ever encountered.

It’s sweet, hypnotic, and utterly irresistible.

Convinced this heavenly aroma must lead to paradise, the deer desperately searches for its source.

Day and night, it climbs cliffs, fords rivers, and ventures into treacherous forests, always chasing the elusive fragrance.

It never rests, never stops, always thinking…

Just a little farther, and I’ll find it.

But the twist?

The Musk Deer doesn’t know that the scent it’s chasing comes from its own body.

The musk pod, a gland near its navel, produces the very perfume driving it to exhaustion.

It spends its whole life seeking what it already possesses.

And isn’t that just painfully relatable?

You see, we’re all the Musk Deer.

We chase goals, achievements, validation, love, money, and whatever we think will fill the gaping void inside us.

We imagine that the “thing” we need is out there somewhere, in the next promotion, the next relationship, or the next big milestone.

But the brutal truth?

Like the Musk Deer, we often don’t realise what we’re chasing is already within us.

That fear of not being enough?

It drives us to achieve, to succeed, to prove ourselves.

But the validation we’re so desperate for can’t be found in someone else’s applause.

It’s something we have to give ourselves.

That goal of “making it”?

It’s a moving target.

The more you achieve, the more you think you need.

But what if the success you’re chasing isn’t something you find on the horizon but something you create in your day-to-day actions?

The irony of the Musk Deer’s story is that stopping to look inward is the one thing it doesn’t consider.

And we’re no different.

Why don’t we stop?

Because stopping feels terrifying!

If you stop chasing validation, you might have to confront whether you actually like yourself.

If you stop chasing success, you might have to admit that you’ve attached your self-worth to things you can’t control.

If you stop running, you might have to face the silence, and the silence might reveal truths you’ve been avoiding.

It’s easier to stay busy.

To keep chasing.

To tell yourself that the next thing will be it.

The Musk Deer’s lesson isn’t about giving up ambition or never pursuing your dreams.

It’s about why you’re chasing them.

If you’re chasing out of fear… fear of failure, rejection, or being irrelevant…

You’re like the deer.

Endlessly searching for something that’s already inside you.

But if you can stop, even for a moment, and ask yourself, What am I really chasing?

You might realise that the validation, peace, or happiness you’re seeking doesn’t exist outside of you.

Success isn’t about proving your worth.

It’s about living in alignment with it.

Happiness isn’t a reward for achieving something.

It’s a state of being you can create right now.

Four Practical Takeaways

Pause and Reflect: Regularly ask yourself why you’re pursuing what you’re pursuing. Are your goals driven by fear or by genuine desire?

Reframe Success: Stop tying your worth to outcomes. Success isn’t about hitting a specific target; it’s about showing up fully in the process.

Recognise What’s Already There: What qualities, resources, or strengths do you already have that you’re overlooking? Often, the “Musk” is closer than you think.

Stop Seeking External Validation: No amount of praise or achievement will fill a self-worth void. That’s an inside job.

The Musk Deer’s story isn’t just a parable.

It’s a mirror.

It reflects our tendency to chase, to hustle, to endlessly search for the “missing piece.”

But what if the missing piece isn’t missing at all?

What if you already have everything you need to feel whole, fulfilled, and successful?

What if the scent you’re chasing comes from you?

The chase might feel productive, even heroic.

But maybe the real courage lies in stopping, looking inward, and realising you’ve been carrying the treasure all along.