In this episode, I am recapping two of our recent clinics and mentorship weeks and sharing some of the valuable lessons that came about during these events. Tune in as I share my perspectives on the importance of applying a growth mindset to life, business and horses.

As I’m coming off of two weeks of clinics and mentorships at our facility, I’m reminded of the transformation that a growth mindset can create. Haley, who hosted our first clinic, has been to 8 or 9 of my clinics now, and has hosted a handful of those events. For people like Haley who are repeat attendees, I always tell everyone the same thing – if you come to any of my clinics and they are exactly the same as the last time, that’s when you’ll know I’ve quit growing.

No matter what level we have reached in life, business or horsemanship, there’s something powerful about never feeling complacent. It is easy to get stuck in a comfort zone where our day-to-day routine is comfortable. It’s nice to be there, and it’s a joyful experience, but at the same time, we’re avoiding being challenged. When we avoid challenges, we are inherently avoiding growth.

Growth continues to be a place where you have to let yourself be a little uncomfortable. It’s a place where you have to allow yourself to be challenged. Growth does not happen without focused effort and attention on progression. You always have to be looking ahead and striving to get to that next level, no matter what that level is.

This emphasis on growth was a central theme in our last mentorship week as well. When we look at the growth of our equine businesses, it’s important to understand that our horsemanship is the “product.” It’s crucial to understand not only the ‘what’ but the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ that goes into creating this product. If we’re just stumbling onto success without understanding the process we used to get there, well, that’s not sustainable growth.

I’ll be honest with you – I’ve had my moments of just throwing mud at the wall and hoping something sticks. But, that’s not a long term strategy. It’s all about understanding our craft, working as hard on ourselves as we do our jobs, and never settling for ‘just good enough.’

This idea of never settling relates closely to personal development. Personal development has become an increasingly important area of emphasis during our mentorship weeks, and it’s all about the process of understanding ourselves better – our thoughts, our actions, and our time management. It’s about finding that balance and grace for ourselves when things don’t go perfectly. It’s about understanding that it is okay to stumble along our journey, as long as we keep moving forward.

Growth in any area of life is dependent upon intentionally putting yourself in the position to be challenged. If you’re not to the point where you are getting yourself in situations where your growth feels a little uncomfortable at times, you are likely moving in the wrong direction.