Читать книгу Geoff Teall on Riding Hunters, Jumpers and Equitation - Geoff Teall - Страница 57

When setting goals for your riding, beware of focusing only on results. I have seen many riders concentrate so intensely on their ultimate goals that they completely destroy their chances of achieving them.

4.1 A Goals challenge you to grow.

B They infuse your riding with purpose.

The best argument I have against concentrating only on results is simple: it doesn’t work. With too many riders, a single unforeseen setback can so derail their “Master Plan” they never recover their momentum.

I have an older student, a woman in her sixties, who has ridden with me for over twelve years. She is always saying to me, “I just want to be consistent.”

This student is typical of many riders. She is not a bad rider, by any means. But, the more she worries about being consistent, doing well, and winning, the worse she performs.

I tell her over and over again, “If you obsess about consistency, you won’t have it. Forget about measuring up to what you have done in the past. Concentrate instead on what you are doing right now. Enjoy it and do it to the best of your ability.”

When I can finally get her to relax, forget about her “results” for a little bit, focus only on what she is doing, and enjoy the ride, that is when she masters a new skill or wins her class.

Preoccupation with being successful is no guarantee that success is just around the corner. Often, concentrating on your riding at the moment, instead of worrying about winning or placing, is what brings the best results.