Fail, get up. Fail, get up. Keep showing up no matter what.
An unpredictable sport means very unpredictable times. There are so many variables when it comes to running horses, such as the ground conditions which we as barrel racers are famous for. But in all seriousness, the ground is pretty key to the success and safety of our runs.
The other week, I experienced a slip and a fall on my mare Marshmallow going around third barrel. A few hours later I was back on and about to go run and try again. It made me think and wonder the key ingredients to overcoming such obstacles and failures we face.
It Didn’t Work, But I am OK.
Gratitude goes a long way. To recover from a fall and to push ahead, I wrote on my window in my bedroom “fail, get up, fail, get up, keep showing up.” It doesn’t matter if you fail or you literally fall, but show up, show up, show up!
You know, from movies and books and real-life stories of people that have overcome their failures, they did it by showing up. They didn’t give in, they didn’t let their failures or their falls determine their future. It’s just so important to know that. And yes, it didn’t work out, but I’m okay. My horse is okay. We came out of the pen fine. And just having gratitude about that is so important. I think that’s one of the key things I’m going to take away from this is just, it didn’t work out, but I’m okay. I’m still alive. It’s not that big of a deal. I’m so grateful for my horses and getting to do what I love another day. So being grateful and having that gratitude towards your life and your experiences are what’s makes you view the failure as an almost blessing for what we have.
I Failed, But it’s Proof I Am Trying
You had a bad run, it’s proof that you got out, you showed up and you went there. Remember that you’re a badass, like, you ride a barrel horse! You’re trying, you’re doing the best you can right now with where you’re at and your circumstances. Remind yourself of that, that’s all that matters. It matters that you’re trying, you might not get the results right now, and that can be disheartening. But to tell yourself, give yourself a pat on the back. “You know what it, wasn’t what I wanted, but I’m trying, and I’m going to keep on trying and keep showing up.”
You are Stronger Than That Failure
Are you going to let that one bad time dictate your life and become a hostage of your past? It’s now about how we’re going to come back and how we handle it. If we tell ourselves that we are stronger, we can handle this failure, we know when we come back, we’re going to be stronger than we were before. You know Kelly Clarkson said that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Sorry, I had to, but it is true in this case anyway. When you fail, get up and all that good stuff, you are now learning new ways to better yourself.
If You’ve Done it Once, You Can Do it Again
I’m sure, you have overcome some sort of failure or obstacle before reading this. Remember that you have come back before, you can do it again.
Remember you have it in you to recover and come back in full force and vengeance and kill it! What I really want you to leave here with is knowing that failure is necessary, it’s necessary with literally everything we do and it is required for growth. They say fail forward, which is literally the motto of my life. It helps to keep positive when things don’t go right, to be optimistic is going to be a game-changer for you. Don’t let the sucky feeling of failure control your emotions, run your thoughts and how you do things. Take it as a necessary obstacle you must overcome to be better.
You Failed, But You’re Not a Failure,
Basically judge the performance, not you as a person. So I’m gonna say it again. Judge the performance, not you as a person. Okay. There we go. So honestly, please do that. It’s not a life sentence. You made a mistake. Your horse fell, you made a rider error and maybe life isn’t good for a moment, but it doesn’t mean that that is who you are moving forward.
It’s not a life sentence, you’re not a failure.
Remember the success that you have had? Like I said before “if you’ve done it once you can do it again” with everything you’ve done really well, once, you can do it again. Just recall all the amazing, epic things you’ve done and tell yourself that you are a badass! You’re going to keep showing up, you’re going to keep trying, you’re going to keep failing and it’s just the beautiful part of life.