Ready, Set, Goal

Are there strategies that can help you to turn your dreams into reality? There are, and AMANDA MAC and SONIA CAEIRO ALVAREZ have been exploring some options.

Welcome to 2021! After 2020’s roller coaster ride, hopefully this year will be a vast improvement on the past 12 months. The pandemic has had a profound effect on us all, inspiring a reassessment of what we want from our lives, and consequently, what our goals are and how we might achieve them. in the face of circumstances beyond our control. But flexible is not another word for failure. Flexibility means that we have the ability to shift our thinking and refocus as circumstances change. So never be afraid to re-examine your goals. Remember, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. However, while making small corrections to our plans when necessary is self-empowering, wandering offcourse altogether is definitely not! Getting down to basics What’s your dream? At the end of three months, six months, a year, five years, what would you be absolutely overthe-moon happy to achieve? No matter whether you’re shooting for the World Equestrian Games, want to move up a grade in dressage, learn how to trick ride, find your dream horse, build a tack

room, whatever … you need a plan.

Google the word ‘goals’ and you’ll be deluged! But before you disappear under the avalanche of information, here’s something to consider. In a highlyregarded study, a university psychology professor proved that by writing goals down and sharing your progress with a coach or a friend, you’d be (on average) 33 per cent more successful in achieving your goals than if you only had them In six months, a year, five years, what would you love to have achieved?

vaguely in mind. So it’s as simple as writing them down and telling a friend? Not quite – you need to get SMART. Tried and true If you did Google ‘goals’, you may have noticed SMART popping up more than a few times. The SMART concept has been around for some years and is as valid now as ever it was. If you know of this approach and you’re already happily living your dreams, go to the top of the class and move on to another article – there’s plenty to choose from in this issue! However, if all this is news to you, or you have only a vague idea as to what SMART is, grab a pen and paper and read on. Getting SMART If you have anything in life you want to achieve, equestrian related or otherwise, one thing’s for sure: without a definite goal, your chances of success are minimal, without a written goal, your odds are even worse. And that’s where SMART comes in. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. Sounds promising, but what does it mean?

Specific: This is where you drill down to exactly what it is you want to achieve. Your goal should be well-defined, unambiguous and simple. Keeping it simple clears away the distracting mental clutter and allows you to focus specifically on what it is that you want.

But goals must also pass the ‘excitable me’ test! Let’s say your dream is to achieve a dressage score that’s five points higher than your existing personal best. Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine yourself receiving your improved score. Picture it in clear and vivid detail. Now, how does it make you feel? Does it light you up? Or, is your enthusiasm dampened by the idea of getting up an hour earlier each morning to practice for your next test?

Set a goal and improve your dressage score.

time for a rethink. To achieve a goal you’ll need long-term motivation and commitment, and that’s hard to drum up for something that deep down you’re a bit ho-hum about.

When you’re happy that you’ve picked the right goal for you, take your pen and paper and write it down before we go on to the next step.

Measurable: A SMART goal is a measureable goal. Measurable goals help you assess your progress, stay focussed, and give you the extra burst of motivation that comes from realising you’re getting closer to your target. Think of them as mini-goals - and not to put too fine a point on it, without them you’re likely to run out of steam and your dream will remain just that … a dream.

But how do you introduce measureability into your plans? Say you have a young horse you’re teaching to jump. Eventually you’d like your horse to be confidently popping over a 1.2m oxer. But while this might be your end

goal, you need to break down your

progress into measureable components.

So, keeping your horse’s current level

of education in mind, write down the

stages (or mini goals) you’ll need to And there you have it, measurable goals.

Achievable: Is your goal achievable? This question is critical and not answering it could set you up for disappointment. If your goal is to compete in the next Olympics, but you are only just learning to ride, you would be wise to assess whether you’re

capable of, or have the necessary resources for achieving your goal. That’s not to say you won’t be ready to compete at a high level at some time in the future, far from it. In fact, it’s recognised that because we generally try harder to reach difficult goals, our best results are often achieved when we’re challenged. However, setting goals that are well out of reach in our current circumstances tends to be more self-defeating than inspiring.

Realistic: In some ways similar to achievable, being realistic means that the goal you’ve set is one you believe you can accomplish with your current resources and time constraints. Be very honest and ask yourself: Is this goal within reach? Can I commit to achieving the goal? If not, reassess your circumstances and establish a goal that’s more realistic.

Timely: If you really want to achieve a goal, set a target date for its completion and while you’re about it, one for each of those mini in between measurable goals too. Deadlines prevent drift and create a sense of urgency. Life can be busy, but setting a deadline It doesn’t matter how you keep track of your goals, just make sure they’re in writing. LEFT: If eventing’s your thing, you need a goal.

keeps your goal front and centre and prevents it from drowning in all those unrelated day-to-day tasks. So once you’ve firmed up your specific, measureable, realistic, and achievable goals, work out your deadlines and, you got it, write them down.

What’s next? Once your goals are SMART, in writing, and ready to roll, it’s time to share the good news with your trainer, or with a like-minded friend (or both). This serves a double purpose: you’re likely to receive support tailored towards helping you achieve your goals, and you’ll also have made yourself accountable – and that never goes astray!

The word ‘goal’ often strikes terror into the hearts of those who err towards procrastination, and with good reason. On the surface goal setting appears to be a simple exercise, but if done correctly it can be challenging. Nonetheless, it’s a worthwhile activity even in uncertain times, because it gives us a plan, a trajectory, a chart to steer by.

Meanwhile, the enthusiastic planners among us can’t wait to spring into ninja-style action with sheets of butcher paper, Post It notes, white boards, goals journals, smart phone reminders, inspirational screen savers, vision boards, project management software, or any of the other tools that can be used to keep your goals foremost in your mind (which is just where they should be).

The method you choose to stay in touch with your goals is entirely up to you – but remember, they should be in writing, shared with a friend, and most importantly, acted upon!