How hard is it to really believe in yourself?! We all have dreams, yet there is always a reason to doubt the possibilities. Not enough time, not qualified, not enough money, simply not good enough (there’s always someone to compare yourself to!).
But imagine if you did just believe that it was possible?
What’s the secret to success? To being able to believe in oneself? I can only offer advice from my experience, but I hope it inspires at least some of you to try something that you’ve always wanted, but put off.
I firmly believe that the secret is to try because you love it, because the process of achieving is the success, it gives you joy. If the objective is along the lines of “how can I make money?”, “how can I be famous?”, then it’s likely that the dream is not coming from the heart, it’s coming from the ego. I love the story for example of GSEquestrian.com, who’s director bought too many of an item and sold the excess online, and now operates one of UK’s largest equestrian businesses! It’s all about giving it a go!
We are moving into a new age now, and it’s all about the heart, loving what you do. Feeling abundant for other reasons as opposed to money and materialistic things. Instead for reasons such as happiness, connection, confidence, love, freedom, reasons that are not tangible and can only be felt by you. And with that the need to compare yourself with others to judge your success is not needed, because abundance is a personal thing, what makes you feel abundant may not make another, and that’s ok!
So everyone reading this has a horse or pony in their lives. Ask yourself, what is your horse or pony to you? Do you feel joy when you see their face, smell their skin? Do you feel joy when the two of you connect, whether it be mastering an exercise together, enjoying the beautiful view on a hack, or feeling the wind in your hair as you canter in an open field? This is the new success. When we recently visited Lucinda Fredericks and Ellie Fredericks yard for a photo shoot, Ellie was galloping along the Downs whilst we all followed on Lucinda’s quad, and we were all laughing and having fun. It’s having these positive feelings, recognising them, and appreciating them, that’s the gift. And then it’s showing gratitude for them, so as much as your horse or pony gives you that lovely wicker in the morning to say thank you for loving me, it’s giving that love and appreciation back.
It’s all well and good measuring achievement on the. number of ribbons that you receive at a competition, or getting a good score on your dressage, all tangible achievements, but these have no depth to them, they are moments in time that pass quickly. The non tangible successes are the ones that last and don’t need to be replenished every week or month. They are also the ones that cannot be passed or failed, so there should be no reason to not give the dream a go, as there will be a non tangible success, a feeling, that it will give you that will fill you up more than any achievement on paper!
In terms of me, that is HUSK. The success comes in many different guises for me, it gives me purpose, it gives me connection with people, horses and ponies, I have space and freedom to create, and I can share these feelings and successes with my family and my horses and ponies too! I also have the opportunity to face and overcome the many challenges of changing the long terms mindsets of many. Firstly that horses need breathable boots and saddle pads like HUSK to sustain their health. Secondly that the protection of polo boots and eventing boots is about the science, not what we see with the eye! Thirdly that we need to become more eco conscious rather than price conscious. And many more!
So next time you have a dream, think of the non tangible benefits to you of giving it a go, not the ones that can be measured by others, that put you off! Ask yourself what the real reason for the dream is, and if it comes with integrity and love then do it, if it’s a get rich quick plan then think again!