Mar 04, 2020

Daniel Stewart's Tip of the Month: Mind Your Mindset

KTB Creative Group Photo.

Mindset is everything. It defines how you’ll act and react; what you believe; how you treat yourself and others; and whether you’ll succeed or fail. It literally defines who you are and who you’ll become. From what drives you to what scares you, and from how you approach challenges to how you recover from mistakes, mindset is everything. Your thoughts, beliefs, attitude, and aptitude are all determined by your mindset, so developing a healthy one is one of the most important mental skills you can build.

There are five basic qualities on which mindsets are measured and simply being aware of them has been proven to help you create them. Take a look at the list below to see if you have what it takes to create a strong mindset:

1. Persistence: The quality of always moving forward, never quitting, and pushing on regardless of struggles or setbacks. It’s the ability to keep striving for your goals, to hold it together when it would be normal to fall apart, and to always finish what you start.

2. Positive Realism: Being positive is good, but being a realist is just as important. An overinflated mindset can sometimes get you into trouble because not all situations are going to be 100 percent positive. Making the best of a bad situation without losing your self-confidence is the key to positive realism.

3. Humility: Riders with humility have a desire to improve and are quietly confident in their abilities, but they also assess their strengths and weaknesses without under or overestimating them. They know that hard work can change any weakness into a strength, it just takes a little time and courage.

4. Vulnerability: Riders who allows themselves to be vulnerable don’t worry excessively about mistakes or failures because they know they learn as much from their struggles as they do from their successes. They’re not afraid to try new things, admit they have more to learn, or ask help from others.

5. No Regrets: Regret is one of the most powerful and destructive of all human emotions because it casts a shadow of doubt over your experiences and causes many riders to lose faith in themselves. Riders without regret feel periodic disappointment, but they never allow it to sidetrack their self-belief.

Hopefully you’ll recognize many of these qualities in yourself, but never hesitate to try and develop a few more. When it comes to building a positive mindset, always remember that if your mind can conceive it, and your heart can believe it, then you can achieve it!

I hope you enjoyed this month’s tip. If you like these tips you’ll love my weekly sport psychology video tips. Try them out for 30 days by clicking here.

Interested in sports psychology? Applications for the 2021 Worth the Trust Sports Psychology Scholarships will be available soon. For more information, please contact Nancy Knight, (703) 669-9997.

May 08, 2025 Competitions

Tom McEwen and JL Dublin are Stars of the Show at the MARS Badminton Horse Trials

The Olympic gold medallists Tom McEwen and JL Dublin lit up the arena at the MARS Badminton Horse Trials with a stunning performance and took the lead after the first day of dressage with the excellent mark of 22.4. They have almost five penalties over second-placed Emily King and Valmy Biats on 27.3.

May 08, 2025 Education

Pressure Proof Tip with Daniel Stewart: Reframing Isn't About Hanging Pictures

At some point in your riding career, you probably found yourself feeling or dealing with a little fear, failure, or frustration. We’ve all been there. Regardless of whether we’re competitive or recreational, we’ve likely found ourselves getting a bit stuck on stress or a struggle; dealing with a little defeat or disappointment, or feeling overwhelmed or underprepared.

May 07, 2025 Interscholastic

Through the Lens: 2025 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships

We might still be recovering physically from the excitement of the 2025 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships, but mentally we keep playing the weekend over and over again in our heads. This is a weekend that many eventers and lovers of the sport all over the country (ourselves included) look forward to each year and this year was no exception. From teams getting to experience their first time ever at the championship to mascots swapping gear in a show of camaraderie, there were so many great moments that took place during this year's end-of-the-school-year event. Take a look at some of our favorite moments from the three day competition below!

May 06, 2025 Competitions

Fast Facts: Tryon International Three-Day Event

As we gear up for the summer, the competition season isn’t slowing down and it’s time for one of the staple events on the international calendar in the U.S., the Tryon International Three-Day Event (Mill Spring, North Carolina). This event hosts one of five CCI4*-L events on the U.S. calendar, and this year there are 13 competitors in the field. Continue reading below for more interesting facts pertaining to the event that kicks off this Thursday, May 8.

Official Corporate Sponsors of the USEA

Official Joint Therapy Treatment of the USEA

Official Feed of the USEA

Official Saddle of the USEA

Official Forage of the USEA

Official Competition & Training Apparel of the USEA

Official Horse Boot of the USEA

Official Shock Wave of the USEA

Official Horse Wear of the USEA