Ep 133: Lessons I Learned From My Dad
This episode is a tribute to my dad–a man who taught me many things about life and horses.
My dad passed away this year, and while we are all saddened to not have him in our lives anymore, I find myself feeling incredibly grateful for the chance to have such an influential person in my life.
My dad was one of those people that always challenged others to be their best. For my siblings and I, this translated into many years of perfect attendance in school and a steady list of chores. If there’s one thing my dad taught me, it is the importance of a good work ethic.
In my dad’s eyes, having a good work ethic meant having an attitude to grow. It meant having an initiative to get better. This mentality is what I believe has gotten me where I am today.
Although I’ve achieved some prestigious titles in the rodeo arena, I never felt like I truly achieved everything I wanted to. But as I look back on my competitive career, I realize that my work ethic was what carried me through those years. I was never the fastest or strongest guy in the arena, but I could guarantee that no one else would out work me.
I always say that we are just scratching the surface of our horse’s potential, and I really do believe that. I believe that most of us are at a phase where we have developed 40-50% of our horses’ potential. And quite frankly, I think this is true with ourselves, too.
This year, I have invested more into personal development than I have during the rest of my years combined. It wasn’t until I started down this path that I realized just how much more room I had to grow. Once you commit to improving any area of your life–whether that is yourself, your horses, or something else–you’ll be encouraged by the possibility of just how far you can go.
To me, work ethic is not only the thing that carries you to the top–it’s also the thing that picks you up when you’re at the bottom. In the horse training industry, the only guarantee is that the journey to the top will be full of challenges. Your work ethic is what determines whether you rise above these challenges or let these challenges overcome you.
In addition to being a hard worker, my dad was also the person to encourage me to follow my dreams. During the early days of my career, I’m sure that he was concerned about whether or not I could make it in this business. I was worried about that, too. But, my dad never discouraged me from the path that I was on. He knew I was passionate about training horses, so he encouraged me to put forth the work to be successful at it.
In this industry, I think we need more people like my dad. This path isn’t always the easiest one to walk, so we have to encourage people–or at the very least, not discourage people–from following their dreams. When it comes to horses, there are no guarantees that these dreams are going to be probable or profitable. But, I can guarantee that they are going to be fulfilling.
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