Desire!

“Desire is the most important factor in the success of any athlete”, Willie Shoemaker

Hello and Happy New Year 2010!

This year I will be writing my blog aligned with the inspiring quotes from the Inspirational Australian Dressage Calendar, for two reasons:

1.) Maybe not everyone has the calendar yet (if this sounds like you check out the huge discount you’ll receive when purchasing now)

2.) I found that sometimes quotes can sound really good, but it’s hard to “translate” it into my world, my riding, my life…

So, that’s why I’m here with my blog to make this even easier for you! Here we go:

What is exactly is desire?

Desire is defined as “to wish for something”, “to crave something” or “the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state”. When we desire something, there is a positive tension between what we have and what we want. And what we desire can be as different as people are from each other, some might desire a fancy sports car, others might desire a loving relationship, or just being without pain. Rider’s desire is normally “the perfect ride”, “that feeling of total harmony with my horse” or “the perfect test”. That one day when all the hard work pays off and it all comes together as it is meant to be. That feeling of absolute achievement and joy…

So why is desire so important to us as a rider, as an athlete? Isn’t it good enough to just set goals?! That’s what everyone says isn’t it?!

Well, I agree that we need goals. If we only have a burning desire for something, but no plan in place how to achieve this, it is quite challenging (if not unrealistic) to get anywhere. A goals is the first step to creating a step by step action plan, milestones and a strategy. Desire gives the goal it’s “colour”, desire is the feeling of the goal and gives it the “why”(“why is this goal so important to me?”).

Desire is also essential to us as riders, as it is not a short term motivator, it is long term. And how quickly do you think you can train a horse to Grand Prix??? Or event at 4 star level??? All equestrian sports are long term sports – sorry, no shortcuts!

Being a rider we need a sense of desire inside of us! Because desire is more than a wish, it is stronger and not based on luck, but on our own efforts. If a wish does not come true that’s though luck, but fulfilling one’s burning desire is a responsibility, your responsibility! And where we take responsibility we create options and take action!

Desire pulls us forward towards what we desire, it is a driving force. Desire focuses our attention towards what we really want. As an rider it gives us direction to what we want to achieve with our horse and is the gas in our tank on our way to fulfillment of this desire!

Desire is what kicks in and keeps you going when the motivation is low. When you had a really bad fall, when it’s dark and cold in the morning or at night and it’s time to get out into the stables and train your horse. Desire gets you up at 4am on a Sunday morning to drive to the showground even when you didn’t so well that last few times round.

Without desire for our horse and this crazy sport we would not still be in it today and in the many years to come in the future.

Have a fabulous day!

Yours, Anna

(Anna is pictured above with her gelding Reverence F, during the Vic Dressage Festival in Melbourne 09 during which Anna competing on the NSW team).

Find out more about Anna's Equestrian Coaching business, Stepping Up Coaching