Below are New Year’s Resolutions developed for the Land Rover US Eventing Team by USOC Sports Psychologist Sean McCann.
• #1 Train Better Key Question- What are you training for?
– If you are training for big events- are you training in a way that helps you perform well there?
– Have you thought through your own need for peaking as well as your horses?
• #2 Think Better Key Question- Does the way you think help you succeed or get in the way? Both?
– How much control have you taken of your thoughts?
• #3 Feel Better Key Question- Are your feelings helpful to your riding?
– What blend of anxiety, sadness, joy, satisfaction, happiness, frustration, calmness, and intensity is best for you?
– How much emotional discomfort is necessary for success?
• Are you willing and able to become uncomfortable to succeed?
• #4 See Yourself At Your Best Key Question- Do you know what you look like when you are at your best as a performer?
– Can you easily access that image?
– The pre-conscious mind accepts what is familiar, and resists the unusual
– Do you use imagery to make “you at your best” be a familiar and clear image?
• #5 Simple is hard- Work hard at simple. Key Question- can you distill great performance into a simple thought or action for each phase of eventing?
– Do you trust that simple thought or action under pressure?
• #6 Get Stronger Key Question- Do you know your weakness and are you building it into a strength?
• #7 Increase Self-Awareness Key Question- Do you know what is on your mind, and can you put your mind where it needs to be?
• #8 Fight Boredom and Drudgery Key Question- Have you found a way to stay sharp and fresh in training?
• #9 Don’t Settle Key Question- Do you dare to dream big?
• #10 Make time to be great. Key Question- Are you living a high performance life in 2012, or are you trying to eke out a performance in a highly busy life? Make a little room to do things right.