Do I need to be talented in order to be a good rider?
Why is it that some riders who are labeled as being “less talented” become more successful than their “more talented” colleagues?
The answer is Mindset. Those with a fixed mindset believe they are born with a certain amount of talent, and these abilities cannot be improved. This creates a constant urge to try and look better than other riders. Within this mindset you are not interested in learning or improving yourself, the only thing that matters is looking better than others on top of your horse.
People with a growth mindset believe that riding abilities such as seat, balance and contact etc. can be improved through hard work and persistence. They generate a love and capacity for life long learning. They view obstacles and failure as a chance to improve themselves. They adopt the view that “it’s not always the people born more talented or in a family with equestrian experience that end up being the good riders”.
The human mind generates thoughts that in turn are transformed into feelings and those feelings generate emotions. These emotions are manifested through our body in different ways according to our mental state and our balance at each moment. At times we are more tolerant and at other times when faced with the same stimulus we release lightning and thunder, exploding uncontrollably. We call this, emotion management.
We live in many situations in which we tend to think that the person responsible for what is happening to us is outside of us. This is the moment to start talking about attitude in our lives.
If someone thinks that they'll never achieve their goals, you can be shure that that will be it. They are already limiting themselves in their mind, they placed a ceiling over them, a limiting belief that does not allow all the potential to expand.
How can I be a good rider?
By improving your mindset. Mindset is everything. Burn that statement into your brain. It will determine your success or failure.
The reality you perceive is conditioned by your mindset.
Determining the best mindset for your every ride is really about sharpening these key personal qualities:
- Persistence: Persistence is simply the quality of always continuing to move forward. To endure until the end.
- Positivity: Being positive, is an intrinsic aspect of a growth mindset. The art of dealing with negative thoughts.
- Humility: is about remaining hungry to keep improving your riding.
- Vulnerability: A vulnerable rider is one who is not afraid of failing or sharing those failures with others. Vulnerable riders realize they learn more from times of failure than success.
- Lack of Regrets: Every experience will teach you something, don't regret any of them!
See you on show day! (And let me know how it goes!)
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