High Performance Values for Equestrians

Have you ever temporarily fallen out of love with riding? In my work as an equestrian mental performance coach many clients share with me that theyve lost the joy that riding used to give them. Sometimes the challenges of your sport can feel like theyre outnumbering the positives and equestrians can find themselves wondering Why do I do this? 
Lets explore values through the experience of one of my clients Rachel. Rachel came to me grappling with motivation and direction. She felt worn down by the constant struggle of her sport of threedayeventing and was not sure if she should continue. In her own words riding just wasnt fun anymore. 

If you can relate to feeling disenchanted with equestrian sport dont worry this is an opportunity to reflect on and clarify why you are choosing to engage with this sport and what you are getting from that choice. Through understanding her own values and aligning them with her goals in sport Rachel was able to reconnect with her love for threedayeventing navigate difficult decisions with greater clarity and improve her own progress in the saddle.
What Are Values?
Values represent what is most important to us in terms of how we live and show up in our lives how we treat other people and how other people treat us. Values are principals that sit at the core of human decisionmaking motivation and purpose. We all have values whether we are specifically aware of them or not and these values are constantly influencing our decisions where and how we spend our time and money and the way we see the world. A few examples of values are loyalty honesty adventure connection challenge learning progress discipline and joy. When you become aware of your values they cease to be a force guiding you from the background of your mind and become a tool that you can use consciously to ground yourself make informed and confident decisions and connect back to the joy of your sport. High performing individuals tend to be aware of their values and know how to use this awareness as a tool to fuel performance and wellbeing.
Discover Your Personal Values
1. Ask yourself these questions 
What is most important to me?
What principles have influenced my decisions so far in life?
What characteristics guide how I want to show up and live my life?
Where in my life do I notice the most conflict?
Conflict is