Sometimes you see a video come by on Instagram and you think, wow this is something I want to be able to do with my horse too. Full of good cheer, you step into the slopes the next day, and then it overwhelms you. How do you actually get started on this? Or maybe you don’t even get to the slopes because you think it’s not for you. Fortunately, in this blog post I want to prove you wrong and help you find the will and the way back!
Defining future vision
With goals, you usually work from top to bottom. I like to compare it to a height difference you want to bridge with a ladder. Currently you are downstairs, and you would very much like to go to the top floor. There is no elevator and jumping won’t get you much further. Suddenly, you also see a ladder. You still have to put these together yourself so think carefully before you start climbing. With fewer intermediate steps, the top floor may seem closer, but you will have to put a lot more effort into getting from step to step. While you can also make the intermediate steps small and get to that top floor almost automatically as long as you start climbing. So, the hard part about achieving goals is not setting the goal in itself, but is setting the path to it.
The key to success
Think deeply: what do you really want to do with your horse someday? When doing so, be as specific as possible! Did you ever see a great show? Or do you want to compete? Maybe you want to go on a safe outdoor ride with friends? You can’t think of it as big or small, really let yourself go all the way in this exercise. All that’s really important here is that your heart makes a jump and you can’t take your smile off your face when you set your goal in front of you.
Now that you know what your “top floor” is, it’s time to determine the steps of your ladder. Again, the more specific you are, the easier. Therefore, I often use a time indicator tied to my various steps. Because as soon as something is scheduled, you are more likely to actually make time for it and work on it. Because only then will you make progress. Therefore, the ultimate key to setting your goals is planning. Don’t just let it drag on, but take small steps because that’s how you keep moving forward!
From dream to goal to reality
To give you a 100% success rate in setting your goals, I’ve easily listed the different steps so that you will definitely have all the tools you need to get started! Then all you have to do is motivate yourself to take that first small step. That way, your personal ladder also gets smaller and you move forward toward success.
- Dream on: nothing is too crazy, too big, too small, too … to be your personal dream. Take a big piece of paper and write on it! Where do you want to go with your horse, what do you want to achieve?
- Speak the goal: Dare to talk about your goals with family and friends. This is really essential and this way you might get some inspiration for the different steps in your plan!
- Work from top to bottom: your dream will not become real until you have a plan on how to get there. So each time, think for yourself what the previous step might be. Suppose you want to win the Olympics, then the previous step is competing in the Olympics. That way you can think of as many intermediate steps as you can until you get to the point where you are currently at. Et voila, the route is laid out.
- Celebrate every win: celebrate every success on your route with a little ritual. For example: eat a candy, put on a specific song, do a dance, give an extra apple … No matter how, just celebrate each win and focus on your successes and your horse’s.
- Focus! But keep in mind that your route is not something fixed. This one may and can change. Remember, you know where you want to go but you are on your way. And like Waze, it is sometimes more advantageous to adjust the route a bit along the way according to circumstances.
- Keep swimming: there will be bumps in the route, you can be sure of that. Remember that you are solely responsible for how you handle this. My advice: go back through the roadmap. Adjust your route, but maintain focus. To stand still is to go backwards as they say. So even though it is a mini-step, it is definitely a step closer to that dream that makes you so happy!
So, now think for yourself: what is your ultimate dream that you want to achieve with your horse? Then take pen and paper (old school is pretty okay) and at the top of the sheet write your dream. No matter how big it may be. Then use the rest of the sheet to turn your dream into the smallest and achievable goals according to the steps in this blog post. All you have to do now is keep focus and enjoy the road ahead!
