All equestrians who show horses typically have one goal in mind: to achieve greatness. Each person’s definition of greatness varies. However, whether your dream is to place at a Level 1 Championship or to win a World Championship title, we all strive for success each time we step foot in the arena. While it may sound easier than it truly is, there are often multiple factors that hold us back from achieving what we want. Mindset of Greatness, a Facebook and Instagram account dedicated to motivation and success posted this 7-item list of seven things we are all guilty of and need to give up in order to improve our odds of greatness.
1) Doubting Yourself
In a sport where the judging is based solely on opinion, it is easy to begin doubting yourself as a rider when things don’t turn out how we expect. Whether it be a negative critique from a trainer, a low score from a judge or comparing ourselves to someone who we see as a better competitor, it is easy to begin doubting our own abilities. Anyone, from true novices to top industry professionals, all have their off days full of doubt and second guessing themselves. However, to progress in a sport that requires much grit and dedication, having doubts will get you nowhere. Instead of constantly dwelling on what we are doing wrong, we should be focusing on how to improve our skills after every ride.
2) Negative Thinking
Like most things in life, having confidence is a key factor in horseback riding, especially when we put ourselves in the show pen to be judged. Simply seeing another rider do something different than we do can begin a spiral of negative ideas. Another commonality among exhibitors is looking at an order of go for a class and seeing well-known riders that we will be competing against. This is another common instance that often leads to thinking negatively and becoming defeated before even mounting our horse. Turning negative thoughts into positive ideas is usually easier said than done, but committing to a happier mindset is healthier for your well being in the long run.
3) Fear of Failure
Often times, especially in a sport where we are constantly being judged, equestrians can often have a fear of failing. While this is a natural occurrence, being afraid of failing holds us back from new opportunities to learn. For example, if a rider wants to add a new event on their horse, such as the showmanship or the western riding, it may not be perfect the first time out or even multiple times after that. However, repetition and practice will continuously improve a horse at a new event, much like any other athlete who is new to something. Being afraid of failing only holds people back from their dreams. Meanwhile, it is those who are not afraid to go out and try regardless of the outcome that will succeed in the long run.
4) Criticizing Others
In horseback riding, all horses and riders are not created equal. While some may see these differences as open season for negative comments and critiques, instead we should appreciate the diversity that our sport offers. Criticizing other horses and riders will not make our riding any better, but it will only create animosity. Making offensive or mean comments about the way someone else’s horse moves or the way they ride will get you nowhere but instead, create a negative and nasty mindset. The next time we see someone who rides differently than we do, whether it be a different event or just a different approach, we should try to banish any negative critiques and try to only say nice things about contrasting styles. Horseback riding is a venue for a variety of techniques and riders should embrace diversity, rather than criticize those who do things a little differently.
5) Negative Self Talk
Besides negatively criticizing others, negative self-talk is another form of defeat where we internally put ourselves down. Sometimes, our internal thoughts can be much more hurtful than anything an outsider could say about us. To curb this negative habit, trying to think more positively and carrying a glass half full mentality can boost our confidence immensely. The more confidence a person has in their self shows to the outside world as well as the judges. While confidence may seem like a small factor in the big picture, this could often be what sets apart first and second place. A showman who exudes a bright, positive and confident personality will always outshine someone who looks as if they are questioning their every move.
6) Fear of Success
Another thing holding some of us back may seem silly, but can often be a true reality. Fear of success is when we tend to become worried about factors that accompany winning. Some of these things include stepping outside of our comfort zone, getting our hopes us or even fearing change. Sometimes in the show pen, we are asked of something more than what sits in our comfort zone. Whether it be an extended gait on the trail or an extra spin in a pattern, success is just outside of where our comfort zone ends. Fear of getting hopes up is another thing we must stop as competitors. So what if we get our hopes up and are let down? There will always be another show or another run to prove us the winner.
7) People Pleasing
Many people will find people pleasing to be the hardest thing on the list to change. While most of us have an innate need to make other people happy, we often put ourselves in the backseat to other people’s happiness. While there is nothing wrong with trying to please those around us, we often need to step back and make sure we aren’t sacrificing our own dreams and goals for someone else. Putting our own thoughts and emotions first is not always a self-fulfilling feeling. In the horse world, we spend lots of time and money to do what we love, so we might as well make sure we are happy and content with what we are doing before worrying about making others happy.
With these seven habits, we often do not realize that we are doing them, and, in turn, robbing ourselves of the path to greatness. Attempting to stop some or all of these things listed above will only help us get better as competitors as we reach towards our individual goals.
