Make Mistakes, It Makes You Better

 

“The peroson who doesn’t makes mistakes is unlikely to make anything”

 

You probably have noticed that the spelling in quote is incorrect.

That was intentional.

The point is, I have your attention.

Thomas Edison said, ‘Of the 200 light bulbs that didn’t work, every failure told me something that I was able to incorporate into the next attempt.’

For those that understand that failures and false starts are a precondition of success are generally the ones that succeed.

So don’t be afraid of setbacks, failures, mistakes or obstacles. Approach them with an open mindset, grow and learn from them.

 

Why perfection may be holding you back

No one is perfect and it’s a dangerous word that stands in the way of people experiencing life and going out there and there and taking action!

Whether its fear of what others think, fear of judgement or just fear of failure. These are all valid reasons and I can relate to every single one of them, but the only way to achieve your goals is to embrace that fear and realise it’s all part of the journey.

Dressage is one of those sports where we are aiming for perfection, but the truth is if you wait until things are perfect, you will be missing out on so much growth. You should instead be focusing on training your horse in a correct and sustainable way. About developing a relationship with your horse and going on a journey together.

As much as you focus on your horse’s training, you should be focusing on developing yourself as a rider. That is everything from your mindset through to your position and fitness in the saddle.

 

How to make a start

The way to make a start is to begin by building your knowledge, your education and your experience to gain confidence in the saddle. This doesn’t come from waiting until perfection. This comes through sustainable time in the saddle and gathering information to help you along the way by doing small steps (just) outside your comfort zone.

If your fear is competition, but you really wish to compete, start small by going to clinics, hacking out and taking your horse to new environments. Build your confidence together and then try small ribbon days, local competitions and gradually build up. Each trip will add little bursts of confidence and little steps you can learn from.

No matter your goal, whether its riding or more life, business or personal it’s about making small incremental changes and putting small steps in place that put you on the path you wish to head on. Then, learn and grow from every experience along that path.

Nothing in life is perfect, we have to make mistakes to grow from them. If you wait until things are perfect you are missing out on the greatness that is growth.

Every failure is a learning opportunity and is one step closer to your goal.

Don’t be afraid to try and fail, in fact, expect it and use it as education. Every successful person has failed and has been far from perfect on their journey. The key is to keep moving forward and keep participating. You have the power to do amazing things, don’t let perfection hold you back. Go out there and start on your road to success.

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