Prepare for Success

As I type this piece I am three weeks post knee replacement surgery, recovering well and easing myself gently back into work.

I have written a couple of pieces which have been published within the Equiteam Connected group in which I have compared facing surgery to equestrian challenges – in particular to working towards a first BE80 event. Something which many people go through at some point in their lives but which is a major and significant personal challenge.

What are my top tips for success? Tips which can be applied to any life area and which will be especially helpful for riders tackling something challenging for the first time.

TIP ONE – CONTROL THE CONTROLLABLES

Prior to my hospital admission I spent a lot of time getting things ready at home. I made sure there was plenty of food in the freezer, organised all that was necessary for the animals, planned things around the house which would be helpful when I came home, recruited friends and family to help where they could and generally got my “house in order”.

The result of this practical preparation helped me to feel comfortable and in control and thus avoided last minute worries or panic that I definitely didn’t need as I approached my hospital admission.

The same goes for preparing for any equestrian challenge be that your first BE80, heading to a camp, entering any competition or even taking your horse to a new venue for training or exploring new hacking routes. Getting all of the practical aspects ready in advance will allow you to focus on mentally preparing for your challenge and will set you up for success. The last thing you need is to be worrying about finding equipment or whether the tyres need air in your trailer/lorry as you prepare to load up to head off in the morning!

TIP TWO – CHALLENGE THE ‘WHAT-IF’S”

Even though I am a confidence and mindset coach with many years of experience the nerves were real and the “what-if’s” were many! However, what was in my favour was that I have learned to challenge these unhelpful thoughts and therefore didn’t allow them to escalate.

I accepted that it was perfectly normal to feel nervous and was able to use breathing and relaxation techniques to keep my stress hormones within comfortable limits and avoid feeling of panic.

Personally, I wasn’t afraid of the hospital, the surgery and any medical procedures but I was concerned about being dependent post-op and I had some worries about various unmentionable scenarios in those first few days at home after discharge from hospital!

My best tips for banishing “what-if’s” are:

1. Understand that these are simply thoughts and aren’t predictors of reality. Your mind is trying to risk assess and protect you but, in this instance, it really isn’t helping.
2. If the “what-if” is visual then imagine swiping that image away as though it was on a screen and then replacing it with a more supportive image.
3. If the “what-if” enters your mind in the form of a story or words then you can mentally (or even out loud) say “STOP” to break the chain of thought and then challenge the thoughts and replace them as needed.
   
   
   

TIP THREE – USE VISUALISATION

Get your mind on your side using your imagination.

Mentally rehearsing what you want to happen for example going through all the steps of your warm up in your mind so that when you come to do this in reality you have already prepared and are therefore far more likely to warm up effectively. In using this valuable technique it’s vital to set yourself up for success by imagining what you DO want to happen rather than on trying to prevent what you DON”T want.

Before my surgery I spent a lot of time mentally rehearsing the inevitable physio exercises, breathing through any discomfort and stretching a bit further each time. I also visualised and mentally rehearsed asking for help when I needed it rather than getting myself into situations I might not be able to handle initially.

You can read more about using visualisation here.


TIP FOUR – SEEK SUPPORT

Never be afraid to ask for help, particularly when doing something for the first time.

Having a good support team of coaches, friends, family or yard mates will allow you to focus on what you need to do in order to fulfil your goals for this challenge. WE all need help at times and I believe that most people are happy to support their pals when necessary.

Then, in the future, you may well be the one able to support others with less experience than you have. Kindness and helping each other has massive benefits for all concerned.

Using the above meant that I was as prepared as I could be for my operation and has meant that the past few weeks, as I recover, have been pretty comfortable and the challenges have been manageable.

What are YOU preparing for over the coming months? I’d love to hear.