NLP Performance Coaching 19th February 2011

Today I went to Talland for a Riding with Confidence one day workshop with seven other course participants.

It was lovely to see Maggie on the course as well as Caroline, plus two other ladies Carol and Ruth from Witney and then Jess who was born near by and used to work in Witney so six out of eight participants with a strong Witney connection :-).

The course isn't a magic quick fix pill, I have to work at this each and every day. There will be blips but doing nothing will not fix anything.

Daily Doings

Every day I will do something positive that moves me nearer my goal

Every day I will celebrate something I have achieved.

Every day I will do a positive affirmation.

When I ride

I will have a plan

I will do positive affirmation before I get on.

Focus and fear cannot co exist together they are matter and anti matter. If I get fearful I will focus. I will sing Happy Birthday or I will do mental arithmetic.

Some random notes that struck a chord

• Imagine if you did know the answer
• I might be more confident with someone around but I can be confident on my own
• Imagine a good future, much more productive than imagining a bad one (!)
• Focus is not the same as over analysing
• What is happening not What if. If he is walking quietly then he is walking quietly do not imagine a bad future with the what ifs
• Control the controllables
• 360 degree respect, don't bitch about others, live your life kindly.

The bloody pigeons and crows

Are you focused on what you should be focused on? If he isn't spooking then what are you worried about? Are you paying attention to him or the crows? Have you just abandoned him to focus on the crows?

I can't change what the crows/horses in field/planes/sky falling in/whatever is going to do/happen but worrying about it could stop me enjoying the now. Imagine a good future.

I can't control the pigeons but I can trust myself to deal with it. If he does something I can handle it.

I might be more confident with someone around but I can be confident on my own.

Socrates

It was a beautiful day in Athens. Socrates had risen early and was strolling on one of the country roads on the outskirts of the great city.

He had spent a good part of the morning taking in the beauty of the country side. He had also been pondering on the concept of objective reality, and thinking of the stories he could write about it. But now his thinking was interrupted by a grumble from his stomach.

His wife had packed a delicious light lunch of cold meats, cheese and bread. And he began to wonder if it was near enough to lunch time to begin eating. He looked at the angle of the sun. He thought it was almost close enough to lunch time to begin eating. He was in the process of deciding that there was enough food to eat over two sittings when his reveries and his stomach were interrupted. A happy traveler came strolling down the road towards him.

The happy traveler hailed the old philosopher and greeted him warmly. The sage returned the greeting. The traveler and Master Soc discussed the quickest way to Athens from where they were. The traveler was about to leave his new found friend when he seemed to change his mind.

The happy traveler asked the Greek master: “What are the people of Athens like?” the philosopher looked the fellow up and down and asked: “Where are you from?” The traveler replied:” I hail from Pyrus. I have lived there my entire life. I have heard many tales of Athens, and finally decided it was time to travel there and see it for myself.” Socrates then asked the fellow: “Well what are the people of Pyrus like?”
The happy traveler said: “Oh the people of Pyrus are warm, friendly, caring and generally well mannered. They welcome strangers with open arms. It is a good town because the people who live there are good people.”

The sage smiled: “My friend you will find that the people of Athens are very similar to those of Pyrus.” Happy the traveler then took his leave of Socrates and set off for Athens.

Socrates was about to sit down to eat the first half of his lunch when he was again interrupted by a second traveler.
Their interaction was similar to that of the first. The fellow asked the quickest way to Athens and then asked the old philosopher what the people of Athens were like. Again the philosopher asked the second traveler where he was from. Low and behold the second traveler was also from Pyrus.

But when Socrates asked the fellow what the people of Pyrus were like, the second traveler responded: “Oh they are mean. They are greedy and selfish. No one in Pyrus has any time for strangers. They spite and snub their neighbours. It is a terrible place, full of low-life and nastiness. I couldn’t wait to get out of there. I have lived there my entire life.”

Master Soc smacked his lips, he was thinking of one of the stories of wisdom he had heard as a child. Socrates sighed: “I am sorry to tell you this young fellow. The people of Athens are exactly as those of Pyrus.”