Ep 214: The Mental State of Success
Success is when preparation meets opportunity. As trainers, we can't always control the opportunities we are presented with, but we can control our level of preparation. In this episode, I'm sharing a few stories about the mentality needed to be successful and how preparation plays an important role in the longevity of your training career.
Recognizing your strengths
Some of the most successful people I know are those who recognize when and where to look for help. No matter what level they have reached, they are always looking for ways to make their best even better. They constantly analyze their strengths and work to identify even the smallest areas of weakness that can be fine-tuned. They are masters at accepting feedback from the perspective of growth, not criticism. They are always looking to benefit from someone else’s strengths.
In my opinion, one of the biggest keys to success is having the ability to recognize your own strengths and, if there is something missing, being proactive enough to seek help from people whose strengths are your weaknesses.
Understanding the mental state of success
I was recently invited as a guest on an episode of Better Horses Radio by Don Dawson and Ron McDaniel. Better Horses Radio was originally started by a good friend of mine, Ernie Rodina, who passed away last year, and I am so glad that Don and Ron are carrying on Ernie’s legacy. Ernie put his heart and soul into the Better Horses show, and we are incredibly lucky to have a quality platform like that as a resource in our industry. Better Horses Radio does such a great job promoting the people and products in our industry and putting out great information, and it is an excellent resource for those who are looking to find someone whose strengths may add value to their program.
On this show, Don asked me a question about controlling my mental game and the secret to building mental strength when competing. One phrase instantly popped into my head, and I think it is incredibly representative of the growth process and the mentality needed to attract success:
Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.
I can’t always control the opportunity, but I can control how prepared I am to meet the opportunity. When I train horses, the truth is, I rarely compete on them. During the short amount of time I have them, I am focused on preparing them for someone else to succeed on them. However, with my personal horses, I also prepare them for resale. The mindset needed to prepare a horse for resale is very similar to the mindset I need to prepare myself to compete. I prepare for a sale just like I prepare to compete – I prepare to win. I plan to be the high seller, and I implement a plan that I believe is going to produce that result.
For example, we are preparing a Slick by Design filly to take to the Ruby Buckle sale next year. This is a very nice little filly, and we have high hopes for her potential at this sale. From the perspective of preparation, I know this filly will be ready–in fact, I believe she’s already ready. The preparation will be there. But, there is still the element of opportunity that will determine whether or not her sale is a success.
When you’re in the building at a sale, there is a set amount of money that is going to be spent that day. Although we’ll be marketing the horse, promoting the sale, and doing our part to attract the right buyers, there is always a chance that we will draw a spot in the sale that is not ideal. We still have the unknown factor of whether or not the timing will align for the right buyer to show up with the right amount of money to buy the horse at the right time in the sale. That opportunity must present itself for the horse’s preparation to align with the right buyer.
The uncertain timing of success
The tricky part about success is that the timing of when preparation and opportunity meet is always uncertain. Our level of preparation can carry a huge weight in our chances of finding success; however, we still have to have the opportunity in place for our preparation to come full circle. In some ways, we are never fully in charge of our own success. But, we can be in charge of making sure that when that opportunity does present itself, we are ready to take full advantage of it.
The key to preparation and success is understanding commitment. It’s not about putting in long, grueling hours–it’s about being consistent and disciplined. It’s about setting a plan and sticking to it. It’s about physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and financially preparing yourself to implement that plan. Success is about having faith that your preparation will meet the right opportunity when the timing is right.
“Be Your Best Horsemanship” is brought to you by Silver Lining Herbs, Classic Equine, Martin Saddlery, Better Horses Network, Purina, Healthycoat, CINCH, Starbar, and Clarifly. These brands have been part of the Phil Haugen Horsemanship team for many years, and their products continue to play an integral role in the success of our performance horse training program. To support these brands, visit our Sponsors tab.
