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This weekend, I reached my goal... The goal was a pleasure goal, it was a personal best. It was a goal in my sport. The reality though, is that this goal asked for all of my goals to align to make it happen, health, financial, spiritual and emotional. And I want to talk about this specifically because in my mind, making this goal was easier than saying, I want to make this much money per year or be this weight or on this health scale or be happy. So for me this goal of achieving what I did in the horse space was highly important but it's importance helped me balance and align the other mini goals that may have not been so important on their own. And really did not have the same leverage in my wellbeing score if I were to concentrate on them alone.
What I know to be true, every single time, is that if I am truly aligned to what really makes me happy and bring me joy is when I am headed towards anything to do with horses. Or if I have a real goal that is about this is what I truly want. Then I can make it! I do, every single time. And if I were to say, I have to have this amount of money to make it happen, then I would not achieve it, I would not be capable of making it. It is just how it is. But if I want something, I make it happen...sometimes I don't really know how... but I kind of do... that is what is interesting.
Four things that do it.
One, set a heart felt and conscious goal, - not one that you are supposed to do, one that would be easy to make if you had all the money in the world and health to do it... what would you do - what is your heart's desire? What have you always wanted to achieve or be? That goal?
Two, let the universe work it out - but be open to knowing what moves you towards the goal and what doesn't...choose the stuff in your life that moves you toward.
Three, spiritual timing - allow the right time to happen, if it is not now then let that be okay, it is a long life and we have much to learn.
Four - be very mindful of the thoughts that you have and how much control you have over them.
Find yourself a coach for the end goal, I had a horse riding coach, a horse trainer too.... what did we need. I didn't need a business coach, a life coach - what I needed was a horse riding coach and finding the right one was revolutionary to my and my sons goals. It was magic. I didn't know it at the start - but I know it now, 6 months down the track. I absolutely would not be here right now, if it had not been for her coaching and support.
I rode all three disciplines in Eventing on my young horse for the first time. I actually rode in such an event for the first time myself. I may have done this once as a kid, I think, but not enough that I actually remember.
For those non horsey folk, this is Dressage (A series of movements, circle executed when asked for in an arena.) Show Jumping, jumping coloured poles in an arena in quick succession) and Cross Country, travelling across country as the name suggests and jumping jumps or going through obstacles such as water but passing lots of flapping obstacles like trees in the wind, flags and other interesting stuff. All at a time and pace acceptable for the competition.
Basically this is one of the hardest events to do in the horse world as it asks the horse to compete well across all three disciplines. Like if as humans you can imagine the difference between a Runner and a Tri-athlete or a Swimmer and a Triathlete or a Cyclist and a Triathlete and you might get the picture.
But this is not about the explanation of achieving this, it is about the balls to give it a go.
In my mind, I had to first have the balls to get back on this horse, it had spun and bucked and reared in a way that had become quite terrifying only one year ago from today. So getting back on this horse with my previous injuries at 49 years old was an achievement in itself.
One of the key things to get moving towards my vision (because realistically 3 years ago I bought this horse with the vision of jumping over 1.20 metres. I had to work out the next step, get the horse doing what I needed it to do and that was stop bucking in the canter! LOL - Moving forward off my leg. So we started there.
The key is to sometimes remember what you set out to do and to really look for what is the next step. And there were some days that just getting my horse out of the paddock and putting him on the float and taking him to the forest/beach with lovely friends who were kind and considerate that just getting on him was momental enough!
Aside from the fact that this horse is almost 2 metres high! I now carry a kitchen stool in my float for exactly this reason - be able to mount my horse.
Fast forward to achieving my goal, one step at a time. I always think that your goals have to make your eye's shine (Ben Zander) and if they don't make your eyes shine, move the goal posts! So that your eyes shine - you don't want it to easy otherwise that is no fun. But you want them achievable.
In essence, pursuing this easy goal was pleasurable and I have got fitter and lost weight. And I bought larger riding clothes so that I was comfortable to ride. This made it easier to get out and get on. So choose what direction you want to take and start, just start with the first step. Sign up to dance class, the surf lessons and just take that first step.
And always smile every step of the way.