Do you ever wish you could lunge your brain to make it quieter and more cooperative? Good news, there is a way. Sport – and life – come with emotions, and sometimes they are strong and interfering. We must learn to distinguish between feelings and actions. So often we hear people say, “I got so angry I had to do it.” Do not buy into this. You always have a choice about how to respond to your emotional cues.
If you find yourself feeling angry while riding one day, make a conscious effort to remind yourself of what you are trying to do in that moment. Do not let your emotions “take over” and dictate your actions. Just as you would not allow a fresh horse to misbehave, do not let yourself do the same when in the grip of a feeling. If your horse was acting fresh and goofy, you would lead him firmly back toward his work, and this is what you need to do with yourself, too.
In martial arts, this concept is sometimes referred to as “going back to form.” A martial artist may experience emotions, thoughts, or other distractions, but he knows his job is to get back to his form – back to his job. You can experiment with using the key phrase “back to form” as a cue to refocusing your energy. You want your focus to be on your task, not your emotional state.