What makes the difference between success and failure? Not reaching your goal is often as simple a matter as giving up too soon.

I’ve seen this over and over in dressage competition. Someone has a bad day in the ring, and they give up in frustration. They get so upset they scratch from the rest of their classes. It may have been a simple mistake, or a forgotten element, or a skill that wasn’t quite ready to be performed for a judge. The fix might be one tiny tweak. But the experience of failing makes some people throw in the towel.

Toughness in the face of adversity is one of the most valuable assets you can cultivate. If you’re not naturally brave or in the habit of pushing through the discomfort of “failure,” you can change this. All you have to do is DECIDE to change. Decide that nothing is going to stop you from your goal! No matter what it is — business, relationships, riding, showing. Make the decision that you’re going to use mistakes and setbacks as your roadmap to success!

Remember… You have to risk failure in order to succeed!

I’m going to race Indy today. He’s beat me before, so I’ve been practicing. I’m faster than ever! My goal is to beat him to the end of the fence, and today just might be my day! Do you want to watch? See you at the barn! Bring carrots for the winner, okay?

Love, Moshi

From Indy:

Owwww… My tummy hurts! I found a dead mouse in the grass yesterday, and I ate it. Don’t tell Jane! But I think it was rotten. My stomach feels like it’s in knots. Ick. I’d better go eat some grass and see if my stomach will work in reverse. I know I’ll feel better if I do. Owwwwww!

I tend to react from instinct more than thought. My wolf instinct said to eat the mouse. My more developed thinking brain said I should probably check it out a bit more first. But in the heat of the moment my inner Wolf took over, and down it went. That was a mistake.

We all do things that aren’t good for us. Sometimes they don’t matter, but sometimes they do. I’ve heard Jane say that she has to avoid sugar in her diet to maintain her weight. She likes sugary treats, but she’s consciously developed the strength to say no when fattening foods are presented to her. She can say no because staying fit for riding is a stronger desire for her than her love for sweets. She’s found an ability to override her “Bad Sugar Wolf” with her determination to stay fit.

What in your life needs a little bit of conscious backbone to overcome your “Big Bad Wolf”? Developing strength to overcome a bad habit or negative urge can be as simple as looking at your “why.” Why do you want to stop a bad habit? What would you achieve if you could will yourself out of that habit? Is that desire strong enough to put your “Bad Wolf” in a cage? Do you have a “Good Wolf” with the strength to fight and override the “Bad Wolf”?

The strength of your “why” is what makes the difference between giving in to temptation and staying strong so you can do what you know is best for you. Ponder that today. Is your “why” big enough?

I am going to remember this tummy ache the next time I find a dead mouse. The pain I’m feeling right now is a big enough “why” to remember to leave dead mice alone. Guess I had to learn this one the hard way. I hope you can learn your “whys” in an easier way!

Love, Indy

Jane Savoie
1174 Hill St ext.
Berlin, VT 05602
Jane’s Website
DressageMentor.com