I have been thinking lately about the new business I have started and my soon to be future living fully on the funds generated by this business. Sometimes it seems quite daunting. It is easy to go from day to day hoping the business will succeed. But all that hope is not going to do me a lot of good. Success will not come from hope. It will come from a vision of this success backed by major investments in time, money and hard work and by my unwavering commitment to succeed and not give up even when there are bumps in the road. I am committed and I am investing many types of resources to move my business forward. I do get glimmers of hope which help inspire me to move forward and I also have moments of doubt when things don’t go as planned. But I am continually moving forward with intention to this commitment.
These thoughts I have been having have begun to make me think about how often riders don’t fully commit to their success and invest their resources to improving and challenging themselves on a daily basis. I teach college students who spend money on tuition and some have spent lots of money on lessons but sometimes they really don’t make big improvements in their riding. They often say they are very passionate about horses and riding. I think sometimes they think that passion is enough to get them the success they desire. Often we think that having passion for something means our involvement with that something should always be fun and easy. Well, that is a fantasy. In order to get good at something we love we have to invest time and effort and do some of that not so fun stuff on a daily basis. For example, when an instructor says you need to work on your heels and lower leg to create a better base to build upon the instructor expects that you will work hard at improving every day until the next lesson. Working on the dull, basic things on our way to success really requires mindfulness. You need to be mindful of what you need to do to improve. You need to be mindful of not sleeping through your rides doing the same thing day after day. You need to be mindful of your feelings and reactions when you are told there is something you need to fix. You can’t take it personally. You need to be mindful of the commitment and investment required to improve.
Here is a affirmation from Wayne Dyer’s book Wishes Fulfilled. I have a burning desire-an inner flame that will not be extinguished by outer forces-to know and live from higher regions, to be transformed so that my new concept of myself will no longer include any limitations. I am willing to challenge and change any thoughts that impede my having a higher vision of myself. Wayne Dyer just recently died, but he left behind so much wisdom and lived his life with commitment to his beliefs and living a purposeful and giving life. He invested his whole self to his commitment.
How much commitment and investment are you willing to give to your riding, your passions and your life? It is really your choice. No one else can do it for you.