This post is for all of you dealing with setbacks -- horse related or otherwise. The quote comes from Jack Medina and Roy Vartabedian's excellent book The Winning Edge: Fueling & Training the Body for Peak Performance. If you don't own a copy, you should.
"There are times when a person puts out everything they have and still fail, they still don't win.
But in the striving, in the development of a will that goes down that deep, a man or woman learns a great lesson about life.
That somehow there can be more victory in striving like that than there is in victory itself.
And even beyond that I will predict that there can be defeat in victory if a person doesn't learn this.
...You can't tell me that there can't be victory in defeat and that there can't be defeat in victory depending on the attitude you have.
It isn't where you are going that counts,
it's the direction in which you are headed!
One of the great things about the sports world is that it can teach you to take frustration and come back out of it and go on to Victory."
But in the striving, in the development of a will that goes down that deep, a man or woman learns a great lesson about life.
That somehow there can be more victory in striving like that than there is in victory itself.
And even beyond that I will predict that there can be defeat in victory if a person doesn't learn this.
...You can't tell me that there can't be victory in defeat and that there can't be defeat in victory depending on the attitude you have.
It isn't where you are going that counts,
it's the direction in which you are headed!
One of the great things about the sports world is that it can teach you to take frustration and come back out of it and go on to Victory."
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7 comments:
Tamara...very well put! Sorry all of your pals (and you) have had setbacks...Your quote is perfect. Have your ridden Aaruba lately?
Hi Lori, and thanks. No, I haven't ridden at all -- can't, thanks to my leg. :( Even an old schoolie would be too much for me right now, as the heart of the muscle damage is just above and to the inside of my knee. Pressure and jolting are out of the question for some while yet.
I appreciate the postitive outlook on adversity. You know oddly enough I've completed to LD's but my "enjoyment" comes in the journey (training, conditioning, trail time, time spent with ride buddies) THAT I'm missing! Your note of encouragement was like a long distance hug! ~E.G.
How timely. Thank you.
It seems to be a time of setbacks all around...I see it in my own horse community as well. Thank you for posting this, and suggesting the book. I'll be looking into that one for sure. It was the perfect reminder for me that my heart has to be in the process, which includes the not-so-fun stuff, and even - if I can go so far - the heartache. (One of my favorite horses tied up this week, and I've been worried sick for days.)
There seems to be a lot of hoof problems in the Idaho area this season... maybe it was all the spring rain?
And I like to look at every ride that I don't get to ride in as an opportunity for... something... You just never know.
Although it's sometimes hard to keep that in mind when you see everybody else going down the trail without you : )
Hope you're back to riding soon.
Amen to that sister! We are struggling through our trials and tribulations this season.Thanks for putting a positive spin on things. Love the quote. Very fitting. We all must carry on.
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