Everything Horses and Livestock® Magazine February 2017 Vol 2 Issue 1

Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine

Goals So, how does one go about setting goals for the season ahead? 1. Write down your goals and schedule dates for their evaluation. Feedback is an essential com- ponent of the goal setting process. Without feed- back, it is common to veer off course. With regular feedback, you can make necessary adjustments to stay on target. 2. Set long-term, intermediate, and short-term goals. As you write out your goals for the season ahead, first reflect on your longer term goals – goals that look 2, 5 or even more years down the road. These can also include a dream goal – some- thing that looks inconceivable to achieve in the near-term but a motivating target for the long-term (e.g. finishing in the CMSA World Championships Top Ten for someone who is currently shooting as a Level 1 shooter). As you think about your long-term goals, think about what you enjoy most about cowboy mounted shooting, what keeps you motivated, and what you want to accomplish in the years ahead. Once you’ve looked at the BIG picture, now focus on establishing your goals for the shooting season ahead. What do you want to accomplish this sea- son? What are your top priority shooting events and what do you want to accomplish at these events? What abilities do you want to improve? What perfor- mances do you want to achieve? Finally, once you’ve set your goals for this season,

A New Year Brings a New Start With a New Year, comes a new start for many cowboy mounted shooters. But for some, knowing where to start can be overwhelming. Here is some advice on being organized and preparing for the shooting season ahead.

A good way to start is by getting yourself organized at home; think about what you need in your barn or arena to make life easier for yourself. Replace broken equipment or tack before the season gets underway and really think about what you need when away from home as well. The next step is to plan your competition calendar. Choose the shoots where you want to compete and at what level. This way you will have a goal in mind. I believe goals are very important to anyone who is competitive to make sure you are always pushing yourself to achieve your best.

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