Well, it is football season, and whether you are a fan or not, you have probably heard about Deon Sanders being the coach of Colorado football.
You may have even heard about his early success with the team and then two losses to teams. You may have listened to what he told his players when he took over as head coach. All of this is fascinating to me as a therapist and as a rider. Now, I am going to bet that you are wondering what any of this football stuff has to do with either mental health or riding. No problem, I will help you make the connection—mindset and belief in yourself and your ability.
Mindset is everything when it comes to riding. If you get on your horse thinking about being nervous or worried that things will not go well, chances are you will find that to be the case. You find that your horse might be as nervous as you thought. Or is it responding to you or what you thought it would do and inadvertently telling your horse and yourself was going to happen?
So you have seen the motivational posters and cards that say something to the effect “what you think becomes what you say becomes what you do”.
So if you tell yourself in your self-talk or thoughts that your horse will be nervous or I will not ride well today because of blank, and then you ride and sure enough, what you had told yourself happened. Then, you believe that if I am blank, then I will not be able to ride and start to set up the thought of this, then that, and before you know it, you are off to the races with negative thoughts about your riding. So then we are thinking about our riding and ourselves, and our ability will slowly spiral down. Just like a spiral, it will keep going down. This is mindset.
If you believe you can do it even when unsure, it increases the likelihood of the thing coming true. So, believing this will be a great ride, a great lesson, or even a great day at work increases the likelihood of that happening. I am not talking about believing everything is perfect but more believing that whatever comes up for you in the lesson or during the day can be managed. That can make it a great ride or a great day. That can be the difference between enjoying your ride and sport and becoming frustrated and afraid as nothing works, and I cannot do this.
So, mindset is essential if you ride jumpers in Richmond, do Eventing in Ashland and dressage in Charlottesville, or ride for pleasure in Powhatan. It is how you think and believe about yourself and your world. There are two generally two types of mindsets: fixed mindset and a growth mindset.
The Fixed Mindset
As the name suggests, someone with a fixed mindset views intelligence, skills, and traits as fixed, meaning they are what they are and cannot be improved. In this mindset, there is no room for improvement or change. I can either ride well, or I will never be able to improve my skills. You may see confidence or ability as something you have or do not. You do not see confidence as something that can change or improve. I will never be as confident about my riding as other people.
What about physical attributes? I will never be strong enough to ride like that.
With a fixed mindset, things can not change. You have what you have, and you can do only this much.
The Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is very different from a fixed mindset. It holds that things can change and improve. This mindset believes intelligence skills and traits can change if you are determined to make the change. With this mindset about confidence, I would ask what I can do to change my belief and look for the steps to change it. With a growth mindset, you will look for ways to improve whatever you are doing and improve your skills, abilities, and beliefs.
Benefits Of A Growth Mindset
It is easy to see the benefit of a growth mindset, particularly for equestrians. The fixed mindset may keep you stuck with fear and anxiety, unlike a growth mindset that allows you to change and grow. Here are some benefits of a growth mindset.
Resilience:
This mindset changes, seeing failures as opportunities to learn, improve, and change. As riders, we know we will miss the jump or the lead change, so instead of viewing these as failures and problems, they will become opportunities to learn about ourselves and our horses.
Motivation:
It can be hard to stay motivated to continue riding when fear of making a mistake with a fixed mindset means it will never change. The growth mindset will allow and even encourage you to keep going if you make a mistake because the change will come. Motivation to be able to change will feed itself.
Willingness To Take Risks:
In riding, there is always a risk. Just getting on a 1200 lb animal is a risk. With a growth mindset, you can get on and try even more things without judgment and knowledge that if you do not make it this time, you can learn, improve, and grow until you do.
Focus:
With a growth mindset, you can focus more on the present moment and allow the outcome to happen. The growth mindset will enable you to focus on the journey, not the result.
Self-Confidence:
This will come as you have the trust within yourself to know that you can get better, irrespective of your current level. The other cool thing is as you continue to improve and trust yourself as you improve, it will start to feed on itself—confidence because I am doing better and trusting to do better because I am more confident.
Four Keys To Adopting A Growth Mindset
Pay Attention To Your Thoughts
Changing our beliefs means changing how we talk about ourselves. Being aware of what we are saying about ourselves all the time. So, we are starting to redefine ourselves with statements of:
- I can do that.
- This lesson will be fun.
Words are powerful, and what we tell ourselves is very powerful. Becoming aware of how we think and the words we say reflects our beliefs. This may seem awkward initially, but it will quickly change, and soon, your mindset will match the new improvement-focused thoughts.
Embrace Challenges
Growth comes from facing challenges and learning from them. This can be stepping up a level in jumping or dressage, riding a different trail instead of the same one, or going just a bit further than where you have always gone. It can be taking lessons with another trainer, attending a clinic, or even riding a different horse. These can all be challenges that can allow growth, change, and confidence. If we have always thought we can only jump 2ft and then jump 2’3”, we have accepted and overcome the challenge. We have gained self-confidence in doing something we thought impossible.
Seek feedback Constructive Criticism.
It is not about hurting your feelings or having someone point out flaws and problems. It is about finding out what you can work on and improve. It may initially feel like it is a person and intended to hurt; however, remembering it is the only way to learn it can make it easier. You want helpful feedback, not just something like “do it better.” The input needs to be specific. “You did not. You’re your hands over the jump.” The feedback can then be used to change behavior and improve skills.
Love The Process
A fixed mindset always focuses on the result and is judgemental about the outcome. A growth mindset loves the process because the process is where the change happens. Concentrate on doing it better or learning something every time you ride; the final outcome becomes a secondary gain. The process allows growth and confidence to do what you love riding. By focusing on the process, you will grow instead of staying stuck in fear and judgment.
If you ride or play football, remember that mindset is essential. It is also important to remember you can change your perspective. Mindset about how you think and believe about yourself. It is not impossible to change, but it will take some effort to change.
Start Working with An Anxiety Therapist in Richmond, VA
If you would like to get more information about changing your mindset, please get in touch with me at grayhorsecounseling.com. I would love to hear if I can be helpful to you. Happy riding! Start your therapy journey with Gray Horse Counseling by following these simple steps:
- Contact me and schedule a free consultation.
- Check out my FAQs and read more about me
- Start cultivating a growth mindset!
Other Services Offered with Gray Horse Counseling
Anxiety therapy is only one of the various therapy services offered at Gray Horse Counseling in Powhatan, VA. We offer in-person appointments in Powhatan and online in Virginia. Our other services include individual therapy, life transitions, group therapy, equine sports, clinical supervision, trauma therapy, EMDR, and depression therapy. Check out my FAQs, read about me, and contact me today to get the help you deserve!