| Lately, I find myself thinking a lot about the idea of achievement. I’m a person who likes setting a goal and then achieving it. But I wouldn’t say I’m dogged in my approach or obsessive in my pursuit of achievement, because I’ve learned over time that, despite our best efforts, some things (ok, many things) are out of our control. We have to be able to cope and adapt to changes. That being said, I’ve got to know where I’m going or else I get totally lost along the way. |
 “A goal is not always meant to be reached;it often serves simply as something to aim at.” –Bruce Lee |
| If we’re paying attention, horses can teach us to soften our approach. They remind us that we’re really not in control of—well—anything. That maybe the only thing we can control is how we choose to respond to a situation. We can’t necessarily change how we feel but we can choose how we respond to our feelings. Do we react out of instinct or do we pause and act with intention? Horses do not possess this level of cognitive ability (hence the spooking at plastic bags). And maybe that’s why we want to be in partnership with them. Because they challenge us to become less reactive and more intentional. If we both react like we’re being chased by a wolverine when we see a pile of scary boxes, it won’t end well. But if one of us keeps her head in the game, there’s an opportunity to learn how to identify our “triggers” without reacting to them. |
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| Instincts are funny things. They’re designed to keep you alive, to keep you from burning your hand on a hot stove; to avoid situations that are dangerous. We’re told to “trust your instinct” and “trust your gut.” But I think we have to train that in ourselves, too. So many of us have life experiences that have conditioned an instinctual reaction that is—er—in need of some refinement. I’ll use myself for an example. When I’m in the saddle and things start going sideways, my instinct is to shut down, to brace myself. My body goes rigid and my mind goes blank. That’s been my instinct—my way of trying to keep myself safe—even the best way to stay safe in those situations is to soften my body, soften my mind and take a breath. |
| Which brings us back to the topic of achievement. Here we are—about to start the fall season, the 4th business quarter, and preparing to look back and assess how we performed this year. Did we meet our goals, did we achieve all that we set out to accomplish? How did we do? As I write this, I feel myself tensing…because I want to meet my goals, I want to NAIL THEM. I don’t want to fail. And yet, while I can control a lot of things, I have to stay soft, supple and open to what the universe has in store for me. |
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| One thing I’m sure of is that whatever is meant for me is probably even better than what I’m hoping for. I just have to remain calm, open and ready to receive the opportunities and lessons coming my way. I hope that you nail whatever big goals and dreams you’ve set for yourself this year. And if you don’t, I hope you take a breath and give yourself a moment to feel whatever you’re feeling. Then get back in the game. |