The Rider’s Mind Podcast Episode 76: Surprising Reasons You’re Not Winning 

I’ll be the last person to tell you that you’re not working hard enough or you’re not trying hard enough. That’s NOT it. In this episode, I share some surprising reasons why you’re not winning.

I know it’s winter and you may not be competing right now, but this message can help you get started with some work you need to do to increase your ability to win. The reasons you’re not winning have nothing to do with how fast your horse is, your training style, the path you’re taking around the barrels, your farrier, the vet work that needs done, your draw number or your traveling partners. Yes, they can all impact you, but today I’m talking about self-sabotage.

Self-sabotage happens when what you believe on the inside, at a subconscious level,  does not align with what you’re trying to achieve on the outside. 

If you’re sending out conflicting messages to the Universe, it has a hard time helping you out. You’re saying one thing out loud, but your automatic actions are saying another. You might say you want to win the buckle, but on the inside you’re scared to be seen. 

You’re not winning because… you don’t believe you’re good enough.
Maybe you don’t believe you’re good enough, you don’t see yourself as a winner or you don’t identify with a winner (at the level you’re trying to win at). If you’re not taking ownership of your part in the win, you’re giving your power away. 

You can win even if you don’t feel like a winner, but it will catch you sometimes and hold you back from even more wins. There might be an elusive championship that keeps slipping away and you don’t know why. 

You’re not winning because…you think someone else is more deserving.
You might think someone else is more deserving or worthy, so you “give away” that win to someone else. This stems from a subconscious belief that you are not deserving or worthy. If you deflect what the Universe sends you, you refuse to accept and own the win.

You’re not winning because…you’re trying to win for someone else.
Perhaps you’re trying to win because someone else thinks this is what you “should” be doing.  At your heart’s level, you don’t actually care. You’re not aligned with your desired outcome at an energetic level.

You’re not winning because…you’re trying to prove something.
When you are trying to win to prove something, ego wants to rank up there so you can be someone noteworthy. Instead of focusing on the love of the sport or the love of your horse, you get caught up in proving yourself and showing off.

You’re not winning because…you’re missing the small wins.
If you’re missing the small wins, you might need to reconsider what winning means. Finding the small wins will help you hit the winner’s vibe, which will help you align with a win.

You’re not winning because…it’s not your time.
Sometimes, it’s not your time. Someone else needed the win today. Maybe they really needed that win this time.

You’re not winning because…there are lessons you need to learn.
If you’re not winning, maybe there are lessons you need to learn here first. Until you learn what you need, you’re going to keep repeating the lesson. That’s one reason why it’s so important to seek out the lessons in every experience and take note ASAP. You’re never losing if you’re learning.

Some questions you can ask yourself to see if you’re holding yourself back from winning:
Am I aligned with what I’m trying to achieve?
Do I believe I’m capable of achieving this with all of my heart?
When I win, how will that feel?
Do I feel worthy and deserving of the win?
Is winning uncomfortable? Why?
Where am I sabotaging my efforts?
Is this something I really want to do or am I doing this because I “should”?
What can I learn from this experience?

Join the Conversation

Join the discussion in the The Rider’s Mind Community on Facebook. As a member of this community, you’ll also get tips and videos from me. 

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Learn with Me

If you’re looking to make changes to your mindset, be sure to sign up for my free Next-Level Mindset Mini Course.

You can also get on the waitlist for Stride, my next-level barrel racing group, which will be open for enrollment soon! This group receives video training and coaching from me and Stride members have access to special guests.  We work on becoming mindful barrel racers so we can show up, be present and perform with great partnership.

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