Attitude CHECK


BRAVO TO ‘10, TIME TO PLAN FOR ’11! LET’S HIT THE GOAL


By Tonya Johnston, MA N


ow that the 2010 show year has passed it is a terrific time to acknowledge all of the things you achieved last


season. This is a big part of goal set- ting that is often over-looked – the time you say to yourself: “Fantastic! It’s time to review all of my achieve- ments and new skills!” Too often we find ourselves looking


only forward, thinking about places we have yet to go and things we have yet to do or win. However, in order to get the full benefits of goal setting (such as confidence, focus and mental strength) you must recognize what you did to achieve your recent goals before you establish new ones. Go On; Give Yourself a Pat on


the Back Wouldn’t it be nice if the progress


you have made in the past year pro- pelled you forward into the new show season? Carrying positive momentum into 2011 will help no matter what your objective – riding a new horse, showing in a different Division, fine- tuning your abilities, or creating more challenging competitive goals than last year. Clearly identifying the things you achieved and ways that you grew as a rider in 2010 is a simple way to gener- ate and enhance your momentum. The Project: On a piece of paper make two col-


umns: one will be for your horse show accomplishments (prizes, qualifying, year-end standings, etc.) and the other will be for the performance goals you


achieved (stronger lower leg, better focus in jump-offs, etc.). As you re- view your year take special care to no- tice things you did to create to those achievements (e.g. started hacking ex- tra horses and rode without stirrups every day for at least 10 minutes to build my leg strength). Set SMART Goals Many trainers have a routine around setting goals for the new show season. This is a fantastic time to realistically plot a course for the coming year. As you set goals, be aware that they


will serve you best if they are: 1) SPECIFIC: Qualify for _______ medal finals (an outcome goal); ride positively to the first fence in every class (a performance goal). 2) MEASURABLE: Review and track your rides after lessons and classes at horse shows to be able to recognize progress. 3) ADJUSTABLE: Goals need to be fluid and responsive to circumstance; amending your goals can be an impor- tant part of maintaining your motiva- tion and attitude throughout a long show year. 4) REALISTIC: Set goals that are within your grasp yet challenging and exciting. 5) TIME-BASED: Set specific dates to accomplish your goals, create times to review and update performance goals as the season evolves. Recognize that any goal is only as


useful as the strategies you and your trainer brainstorm and employ to help


you get there. For example, saying that you would


like to be more confident and com- posed in the warm-up ring is well and good; but add strategies such as getting on a couple of minutes early to walk and do breathing exercises, keeping your focus on your own flatwork plan instead of who else is warming-up, etc. can go a long way toward achieving your goal of improved composure. When you acknowledge the specific


progress you have made in your riding, you build trust in yourself that new goals have an excellent chance of be- ing achieved. This is known by another name:


Confidence. As you set new goals, with productive and realistic strategies to support them, having the confidence that you can achieve them will make a bigger difference than you can even imagine.


Tonya Johnston, MA, is a sport psychology consultant and horseshow competitor who spe- cializes in working with equestrian athletes. A recent speaker at both the USEA and USDF national conventions, she conducts USHJA-Affiliated “Sport Psychology for Riders” clinics through- out the country as well as phone consultations with individual clients. Phone: 510.418.3664. www.TonyaJohnston.com


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