It is the start of a new year and a great time to develop or review your vision and establish new goals! Opportunities emerge for those who have done their homework and are ready to take on new challenges. This is where preparation, commitment, patience and passion enter into the equation for success. Much like a cross-country road trip, the journey to successful outcomes requires a well charted map. Only once you identify your destination and set your long term goals can you begin to map your course. Planning this adventure will require rest stops or short term goals along the way allowing you to recognize the progress you have made. Because your end goal may be just out of sight beyond the horizon it is to crucial that you continue believing in yourself, your vision, and your plan.
There will be moments on this journey when you feel discouraged, defeated, and deflated. Maybe it is a set-back in your support system, maybe you are embarking on this journey later in life or maybe your performance outcomes are not up to par. Identify these set-backs never as failure, but always as lessons. This is your chance to improve your plan. Remember that everyone’s road to success looks different from your own. Don’t compare the journey, rather put one foot in front of the other and make choices that continually move you towards your destination or long-term goal. When your dream is big it is only natural to run into roadblocks. Recognize any mis-steps that take you in the wrong direction or distract from your vision, learn from them, and recalculate your route.
Utilizing qualify education resources effectively can accelerate your road to success. Today there is an overwhelming amount of information available at our finger tips. Do your research. Determine if the program in question is based on a strong foundation with substantial material that is backed by years of experience and positive outcomes. The mastery of horsemanship fundamentals comes with a lifetime of commitment, dedication, practice, preparation, and experience! Find a training program that is proven not just by the success of the instructor, but also proven by the success of their students. As the New Year brings new opportunities it is a good time to consider attending a clinic. In my experience teaching clinics for over 40 years, here are some pointers to get the most our of your clinic experience.
- Research clinics available and make it a priority to go.
- Make sure the clinician’s techniques and philosophies make sense to you.
- Be sure the program aligns with your level of training
- If possible take a friend, parent, or hauling partner. They can help apply the information after the clinic is over.
- Make sure you and your horse are in shape.
- Put your best foot forward, take your best horse in order to get to the next level.
- Be open-minded. Students are often surprised when they find out they don’t know what they don’t know!
- Take advantage of the entire clinic experience, lessons can be learned watching others.
- Take notes and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
- If the clinic was a positive experience, plan to return as often as possible. This creates a personal relationship with the instructor and accelerates your path to success
Published in Rodeo News, January 2018
Co-Written by Sharon Camarillo and Donna Irvin.