Right now there are two very different people living inside of you (don’t worry, it’s only a metaphor.) The first one is the person who you are right now. That person is called your present-self and he or she is capable of achieving some pretty good things. Some pretty good skills, pretty good emotions, and pretty good results. But is your present-self capable of achieving the amazing and great skills, emotions, and results that you know you’re capable of? Unfortunately, probably not.
In order to achieve those amazing skills and great successes you might first need to consider making a few quick changes or additions to your present-self. This is where your other “inner” person comes in. That person is called your performer-self and he or she isn’t interested in pretty good, they’re looking for really great!
So just how do you go from pretty good to really great? Well, you go from your present-self to your performer-self of course, but what does that really mean? Well, let’s say, for example, that right now you’re tired and dehydrated with a stomach ache from all the fast food burgers you ate late last night. This is your present-self. Do you think you’ll be able to perform your best today? Me neither! It doesn’t mean you’re incapable of it, it just means you’re going to have to make a few change before it’ll happen. In other words, you’re going to have to go from your present-self to your performer-self, and the best way to make that happen in this case is to plan a few days of rest, hydration, and healthy eating.
So, as you read this message (and while you wait for stay-at-home orders to end) take a few moments to ask yourself who you are presently. If you decide that you’re not quite at your performer-self, write down a few changes or addition that you can make to make it happen. While doing so, you might want to take the following four categories into consideration:
If you’re like many riders, this crazy time might be making you feel a bit incapable of improving yourself as a rider. But in fact, the time that we’re all spending waiting for “ordinary” to return might just be an opportunity for us to find our inner extraordinary - an opportunity that comes from spending more time focusing on you and learning what it really takes to release your inner performer!
So, take this time to remind yourself how lucky you are to have good health, friends, family, and our amazing sport, and remember the only person you need to be better than today is the rider you were yesterday, so go find your performer-self!
I hope you enjoyed this month’s tip. I’ve organized a series of equestrian mental coaching webinars for barns, clubs, and associations until the pandemic is over. If you’d like more information email me at [email protected].
Following the popularity of Rules Open Forum held virtually during the 2020 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention in December, the USEA Competitions, Calendar, and Rules Committee decided to host another Rules Webinar to share information about the extraordinary rule changes going into effect on April 1, 2021 and the rule change proposals being put forward to the USEF by March 1, 2021 for approval for the 2022 competition season.
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered! Check out the USEA’s Weekend Quick Links for links to information including the prize list, ride times, live scores, and more for all the events running this weekend.
Chris Ryan’s initial assessment of this 3-year-old off-the-track Thoroughbred gelding is that he’s a “good quality sort. Brown is a great color – a strong color in ‘nature.’ One of the first questions I ask myself when evaluating a horse is if he has refinement. We know the breed type here is Thoroughbred but I still ask the question."
The USEA Event Companion App was launched in late 2016 for iOS and Android devices to provide USEA members with easy, at-your-fingertips access to the USEA calendar of events, dressage tests, rules, news, and more. The app, now in its fifth year, has rolled out a new feature for users - push notifications are here!