What Would the Dung Beetle Doo?

I’ve discovered my spirit animal…

…thanks to my daughter Maddie who’s in Africa this week on safari.

She’s been sending photos and videos of creatures great and small.

Elephants. Giraffes. Cheetahs. Rhinos. Impalas.

Impressive animals.

But they’re just not ME.

And then Maddie sent this…

That is a pair of beetles with a tennis-ball-sized dung ball.

Dung is another word for doo-doo or manure — as in, “Wow! Look at that giant pile of steaming elephant dung.”

After an elephant or other herbivore does its business, the dung beetles get busy.

They roll the fresh doo-doo (the fresher the better) into a ball.

Then they roll that ball — which can weigh 10-50X the beetle’s body weight — to a safe and secure place.

If they lose their way on their journey, they climb atop the ball, do a little dance, and use the Milky Way to help them navigate and get back on track. They’re the only insects known to navigate using the stars.

Once they get to where they’re going, the beetles bury the ball so they can feed on it (buried shallow) or lay an egg in it (buried deeper).

In the video above, the male is pushing the dung ball.

The female is along for the ride.

But that doesn’t mean she’s chosen him as a mate.

She’s judging him — and his ball.

If she decides this is a suitable dung ball…

…AND she likes the way the male has rolled it…

…AND the male has done well to defend the ball from other beetles trying to steal it…

…she’ll stick around and help him bury the ball.

Only then will they mate.

Studies show that females go along for the ride only to reject the male more than 50% of the time.

That’s rough odds, fellas.

Which leads me back to the spirit animal thing.

Everything about these beetles motivates and inspires me.

The beautiful, systematic way they transport their dung.

Think about it: We celebrate the “invention of the wheel” as a critical moment in human evolution. And then we see these lowly insects wheel their food and baby-bedroom across the savanna.

Survival and success depend on efficient systems and machinery to get us where we’re going. So it goes for beetles. So it goes for business owners.

The brilliant, systematic way they navigate.

You won’t reach your destination in time if you zig and zag and go in circles. Pause. Study. Navigate carefully. With the right plan and a system to navigate, you’ll get where you’re going.

The dedication and perseverance.

Success is rarely guaranteed. Roll that ball anyway. Implement. Keep going. If you stand still, failure is certain.

The preparation for future growth.

Invest in the future. Lay eggs. Plant seeds. And set aside the fuel to feed and nurture them.

I’m not asking you to choose the dung beetle as your spirit animal.

But as you look to 2026 and aim to build a successful business so you can prosper, maybe you should pause occasionally and ask…

…what would the dung beetle doo?

p.s. In 2006, I’m going to be laser-focused on helping business leaders design and implement systems to grow their businesses. Not courses where I teach you how and say, “Goodnight and good luck.” Actual systems, ready to roll out, that my team and I can implement for you.

If you’ve had trouble designing the big ball and rolling it to where you want to go, you’ll want to hear more. Starting next week, I’ll open up my calendar for 1:1 sessions to tell you all about it. If you already know you’re interested, reply to this email with “spirit animal,” and I’ll give you first dibs at the limited spots on my calendar.