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The Barrel Racing SECRETS are Out!

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Here we are – January 31st, 2012 and I honestly don’t have words (how rare is THAT?) to describe how excited I am to announce the release of my first book, Secrets to Barrel Racing Success!’ 

But rather than give you details on what’s included in it, today I wanted to share the story of how Secrets to Barrel Racing Success came to life…     
To say that 2011 was a big year for me, well that’d be an understatement.  I didn’t enter as many barrel races as most years, I didn’t get a new horse (I actually GAVE ONE AWAY)! 

Playing in the Creek.
Playing in the Creek.

In fact, my barrel horse and I enjoyed making “the big circle” to check yearlings numerous times, and my most memorable moment with my horse was splashing around in a creek on a 100+ degree August day with a good friend, her horse and our dogs – what a blast!

What I’m getting to, without going into a lot of details, is that 2011 was HUGE for me personally, therefore it’s been HUGE for me in every other way. 

This is especially true in the areas of horsemanship and barrel racing.  After all, when we really learn and grow in a certain area, we expand in others as well.  After an unforgettable summer, last fall I really started to release fear, and get clear. 

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Are Time, Energy & Money Parasites Stealing Your Barrel Racing Dreams?

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Are Time, Energy & Money Parasites Stealing Your Barrel Racing Dreams?

Listen to this article in audio form! It’s #12 on the Barrel Racing Tips podcast.
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“If you want your life to have impact, focus it! Stop dabbling. Stop trying to do it all. Do less. Prune away even good activities and do only that which matters most. Never confuse activity with productivity. You can be busy without a purpose, but what’s the point?” – Rick Warren

As we embark on a new year, are you full of renewed energy and enthusiasm for what lies ahead?

OR have some obstacles already presented themselves?

If you followed last month’s suggestions for determining what you want to BE, DO and HAVE to make your new year desires reality, then you might have created a plan of action steps and specific areas of learning to focus on. 

Ditching “goals” and embracing desires does loosen things up a bit when it comes to all this planning.  It creates a little more flexibility and releases the attachment to the end results.  It means we stay true to our personal path, even IF changes course throughout the year. 

Creating desires (instead of goals) also comes with the realization that through releasing such tight control on the future – we’re actually opening our lives up to success and experiences that are quite possibly even beyond our wildest dreams!  

However, just because we’re not quite as controlling and rigid, doesn’t mean that we’re not specific, or that we don’t write things down and create structure to set ourselves up for success. 

After all, the key to happiness and fulfillment is dependent upon the choices we make and how we spend our time.

Money, Energy & Time Parasites
Learn to Recognize Money, Engergy & Time Parasites

So, what if a barrel racing desire is placed in your heart, and you develop a plan to make it reality…

AND THEN, as it so often does…

LIFE HAPPENS!

Ugh.

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Looking Back with the 2011 Top 15 NFR Barrel Racers

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Looking Back with the 2011 Top 15 NFR Barrel Racers
It seems like every barrel racer has fantasized about blasting down the alley at the Thomas & Mack at one time or another.  Whether you’re content to compete at local jackpots or have NFR dreams, we all have the same goal – to WIN.  The bottom line is that barrel racing is a timed event – a race, one that we are ALL trying to win.

This time of year, (in many places) the world falls quiet under a beautiful blanket of snow.  The timing is perfect to become quiet within as well, to reflect on the challenges faced and the lessons learned in the past year.  It’s also a time of year that presents opportunities to enjoy and appreciate the relationships in our life -friends, family, our horses.

It’s easy to develop a one track mind when it comes to accomplishing our competitive goals.  As another year draws to a close, and when you look back on your day, or your life, remember that it’s the relationships we form that make a difference, that matter in the end. 

This doesn’t mean that we aren’t aggressive as competitors.  However, as you press forward toward barrel racing success, do realize the value in pausing long enough to be mentored and become a mentor.  Pause long enough to reflect on what is working, what is not working, and resolve learn, grow and implement changes.

Whether you develop a mentor relationship, or really reflect on where you are and what obstacles are in your way, you’ll find that that pausing (something barrel racers are not necessarily known for) long enough to do these things can actually accelerate our success in the barrel racing arena.

I think you’ll pick up right away on the similarities in the answers below from this year’s top 15 NFR barrel racers… the power of parents as mentors, the importance of horse care and soundness, hard work, and appreciating and living each day to the fullest.

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