Are you taking failures personally?
It is important to understand the “WHY” behind our reactions to criticism and setbacks. 



Why Do We Criticize Ourselves?

It starts in the mind. Our brain, a powerhouse that consumes about 20% of our body's energy, is wired to protect us and conserve energy. This instinct leads to generalization, a process where the brain uses past experiences to make assumptions about new ones, often negatively. When we face criticism, whether it's about missing a distance or receiving feedback on our riding, our brain simplifies these experiences into generalized, often harsh self-judgments. This mechanism saves energy but at the cost of our confidence and growth.



The Trap of Negative Generalization

Imagine you're jumping and miss a distance. Instead of analyzing the real factors involved—perhaps your horse was unbalanced, or your approach wasn't quite right—your brain might default to, "I’m just not good at this." This type of thinking doesn't just undermine your confidence; it prevents you from identifying and addressing the real issues that need improvement.



4 Steps on how to break the Cycle of Taking Failures Personally: 


Step 1: Identify the Real Issues 
Slow down your mental responses to failures and analyze the situation thoroughly. Were you really at fault, or were there external factors? Understanding the actual cause is crucial.

Step 2: Seek Feedback and Record Your Rides 
Use videos to review your rides or use an AI Tool for equestrians to improve your riding. Check out the app Ridesum by registering via our link and get 30% off on your first two months: http://ridesum.com/mindeq

Step 3: Engage in Targeted Training
 
Once you identify the weaknesses, focus on specific exercises to improve.



Step 4: Be Open to Learning 
Every ride offers a lesson. Embrace feedback, not as criticism, but as stepping stones to mastery. Remember, the goal is improvement, not perfection.



Dive deeper into this topic by listening to the full Podcast Episode ‘How to Stop Taking Failures Personally’

LISTEN NOW

Every ride, every jump, and every training session offers a chance to improve, not just in skill but in understanding ourselves and our horses better.

Get in touch with us by sending us an email at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.