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Nancy,
When we go to a "big" show, sometimes winning ...
Or even placing ...
Kinda feels like this line from the movie Top Gun Maverick;
"This mission will require not one, but two consecutive miracles."
This happened to my brand new rider client at a big, prestigious show just recently.
Not only had she just started coaching with me, but it her first time at this big event, she had two new horses, AND she had a new trainer.
(Whew! Maybe it was going to take ... like ... 4 miracles with all that uncertainty, right?)
She placed 7th and 8th ... which was great.
She was happy. Her trainer was pleased. Her parents were proud.
Ok, good start, BUT ...
I knew she could have won!
And when I asked her what she believed about winning ...
She said, "Well, I knew the other top riders there, and they usually win."
Me: "Wait, you believed they would win and you wouldn't?"
Rider: Yeah.
Me: Well, what was your prediction about who would get 1st through 6th place?
Rider: I guessed pretty accurately ... maybe off with one rider.
(She seemed pleased with herself that she had called it "accurately" ... as if she had just placed a gambling bet and won!)
Me: Oh, well, I didn't know that big show event gave you that job. Congrats!
Rider: Huh?
Me: The job of handing out the awards and ribbons to the riders!
Rider: What are you talking about?
Me: Well, you may as well have just walked up to the awards table and taken those ribbons ...
And handed them to the riders BEFORE the class even started because that is what you did in your head!
You gave them away before it even began!
Sounds like your Chef de Saboteur had the reins that day!
By the way, where was your belief about YOU winning on a scale of 1-10?
Rider: I guess it was about a 7 or 8.
Me: Well, look at your placings! See how your belief created EXACTLY that reality?
I wonder what reality your brain would have helped you to create if you had programmed it for the higher ribbons?
This is what happens when we see beating our competition as only happening with a miracle!
Now, she didn't say that to herself, that it would take a miracle, but that was basically her belief.
So while I DO believe in miracles, I am not a fan of using that word or counting on that.
Note the problem it created in the Top Gun movie ...
When Maverick told his pilots the mission would need "not one, but two consecutive miracles."
It did NOT help them with their belief!
That was the problem ... the pilots HAD the capability ...
They just didn't have the belief.
The mission was already very difficult, if not mission impossible!
So on top of that, telling them mission success would require two miracles?
Insanity!
Same with going to a competition.
If you see winning as "requiring" even one miracle ...
Then you've already given it away!
You have already decided you can't and won't win.
You are already coming to the competition powerless!
What can you do instead if you really don't believe you can place higher or win?
THAT is number one question I get from riders and even trainers!
How to believe in yourself even when you don't really believe.
And then code your brain to perform at that winning level anyway!
This is what peak performance mental skills is all about.
Believing when there isn't any credible evidence (with THAT horse at THAT event) to back up your belief.
Or there is credible evidence you can win, but you show up instead ...
As the Chef de Saboteur ... getting your need for certainty met by being able to accurately predict your usual mistakes or low results.
Ready to forget about miracles? And powerless hope and "good luck"?
Want to become empowered to generate higher results for yourself instead of playing head games ...
Like placing bets on your competitors beating you?
Or being driven by the credible evidence of "ghosts" and memories of usually NOT doing well at a particular event?
Want to start placing higher and winning even if you don't really believe you can?
I am booking now for indoors/end of year events and reserving mental skills coaching spots for winter circuits!
Call me today at 561-866-0402 or email me.
Generate an awesome week this week! (You don't need miracles)
Nancy Dye
Breakthrough Peak Performance Mental Skills Coach
Emotional Strength and Resiliency
Strategic Interventionist
NancyDyeSiCoach@gmail.com
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