Gain the Barrel Racing Confidence You Need to Succeed

Photo by Kirstie Marie Photography

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Today, I’d like to share some excerpts from The Confident Barrel Racer, starting with a section from the introduction…

I often hear from barrel racers from all over the world admitting they struggle with self-doubt. But I know, there are many more barrel racers that struggle with confidence issues that I never hear from. Of all the positive feedback I’ve received on Secrets to Barrel Racing Success, a fair amount of it has been regarding the Inner Game chapter. Barrel racers thank me for giving them the tools to boost their confidence. I wanted to go even deeper in the pages that follow.

Confidence is a subject that’s not talked about much other than it being said “You have to be confident!” But what if you’re not? And if not, how do you get confident? You certainly don’t just buy it at the tack store, or wake up one day a confident barrel racer and never have another limiting thought (that’s not how it happened for me anyway).

Confidence seems hard to find, and it’s something that isn’t very openly talked about, and not something that people (barrel racers especially) tend to jump up and admit they have a problem with. After all, barrel racers are supposed to be tough, strong, capable and fearless, right?

This is a big part of why barrel racers struggle with confidence issues (more on that in a moment). The truth is that even the highest achieving barrel racer’s minds become plagued with self-doubt at times. Honestly, it doesn’t matter how much you have already achieved – no one is completely immune to negative self-talk that can cause our confidence level to take a plunge…

…You may come to a point in your barrel racing journey where you realize that it’s this lack of confidence that holds you back more than anything else; and that there’s a direct connection between the quality of your thinking and the quality of your life. I hope you’re not willing to be held back any longer. I hope that the time to put your foot down and give confidence busting negative thoughts an eviction notice, is RIGHT NOW.

This guide will explain how that is possible, but in a way that you may not have experienced before. I’m not going to deliver cold, hard techniques like a sports psychologist, or fill you with a bunch of fluffy psycho-babble, or even give you a firm kick in the rear, in fine barrel racer fashion – I’m going to do all three of those things (and more), but in a unique, integrative way I feel will serve barrel racers best, all in less than 30 pages.

“All the concepts about stepping out of your comfort zone mean nothing until you decide that your essential purpose, vision and goals are more important than your self-imposed limitations.” – Robert White

• Challenges of Competition – Develop awareness that prevents you from falling victim to the dangers that exist in the competition environment.

• Fierce Love – Get off the endless roller coaster of emotions to develop a steady, unwavering level of confidence regardless of your circumstances or results.

• Self & Source – An introduction to two key relationships, that when developed and nurtured, will turn your life around.

• Four Steps to Confidence – A step-by-step guide to creating confidence, by helping you to first master change in the moment, then offering support all the way through integration.

• Be Here Now – Today is a gift, that is why we call it the present. Learn how to be in the moment, the perfect mental space to be in a run, where self-doubt cannot exist.

• Practices – Being a winner in the arena means developing winning habits in all aspects of life. Develop practices in three specific areas for optimizing your confidence.

• Tips for Competition – Specific action steps for overcoming nerves and getting into the perfect mindset to perform your best.

• Confidence Smashers – Have past experiences, horses or people damaged your confidence? Advice for overcoming past and present challenges.

Bonus Sections

• The Confident Horse – There’s more to developing a confident horse than just being a confident rider. This section shares tips for building your equine partner’s confidence.

• Additional Resources – Recommend books for further reading, self-development programs, and more.

Below is another excerpt, this one from the Practices section of The Confident Barrel Racer…

I’ve written quite a bit about developing a baseline foundation of confidence that never wavers, but if we forget where that comes from, or we don’t nurture certain relationships, or we allow negative forces from the outside overwhelm us, our confidence level CAN go down the tubes.

Understanding this, I’ve taken it upon myself to develop regular practices and certain ways of being that have become habits. I encourage you to establish similar habits and hope that doing so will be as helpful to you as it’s been to me.

When I first developed these practices, my own confidence level wasn’t real high. In large part, because I’ve continued them regardless of how good I’m feeling (and I especially continue them with life gets hectic), my confidence continues to grow. Even if we get off track a bit, a baseline level of confidence is likely to remain, but it’s not a chance I want to take. Just like going to the gym once won’t get you and keep you fit, we have to keep flexing and building our confidence muscles.

This isn’t a sign of weakness. There’s no shame in structuring our lives in ways that help us to stay mentally and emotionally fit. After all, we are constantly bombarded with things in life that would like to knock us off track. Being purposeful and proactive about your daily habits can make all the difference.

“We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.” – John Dryden

These little practices or rituals may resonate with you, or inspire you to create your own. Or, you may even question what they have to do with confidence? The truth is, the little every day habits and ways of being we develop have everything to do with the confidence we have when we arrive at the barrel race. These practices are additional ways in which we can add to our foundational level of confidence, by helping us FEEL GOOD about ourselves. They are investments in the relationships to “source & self.”

Years ago, I wouldn’t have understood the importance of these practices, and I certainly wouldn’t have thought it was realistic to think I “had time” in my busy schedule for them. Now, I believe that I can’t afford NOT to make these rituals part of my life. I don’t believe in doing anything half way, and the ways in which I have chosen to serve the world, require me to be at my very best.

The Confident Barrel Racer then goes on to describe daily and weekly practices in the three different areas, ALL critical for developing and maintaining winning confidence!

The Confident Barrel Racer is a short book that was originally developed as a special Christmas bonus, and until recently was only available to those who purchased Secrets to Barrel Racing Success during the holidays.

If you missed the opportunity to get it in the past, NOW is your chance to receive this special, one of a kind book at a new lower price. Click here for details.