So many lessons I’ve learned in riding can be neatly applied
to the rest of my life. Take this deceptively simple instruction: Look where
you want to go.
In riding, and even when leading a horse, if you’re unsure about
where you want to go, or even just not paying attention, the horse can take
over. You may or may not want to go where he does, so you’d better stay
focused! Don’t look at the ground
(unless you want to meet it, abruptly) or at the horse himself. Look where you
want to go. The act of turning your eyes in the direction you want to travel
causes tiny changes in body position sending information to your horse, and
making it much easier to steer him. (I’ve also heard race car drivers are told
never to look at the wall—unless they want to crash into it!)
You can waste a lot of time looking in directions that don’t
propel you forward into your desired happy life. Maybe you spend too much time
looking back, regretting things you’ve done or opportunities missed. Maybe you
stare at the blemishes in your life—the daily irritants, the painful
experiences, all the stuff you wish was different. You might even be mesmerized
by the things that scare you—afraid to take your eyes from them long enough to
move head. I know I’ve turned my eyes in these less-than-helpful directions
plenty of times.
So where should you look?
Look for opportunities. Look for someone who has already
gone where you want to go—what path did they take? No two paths are identical,
but you can often get some hints about where to go next from someone who has
walked the path before you.
Look for inspiration, look for humor, look for happy.
Yes, you’ve got to back up your looking with action, but the
first step is always—you guessed it—look where you want to go.
Where do you want to go? Are you looking in that direction?
