It’s interesting how, when we’re fed something over a period of time, we don’t stop to question that there might be another way of going about things. That’s certainly been the case for me in the past when it’s come to goal setting. Despite recognizing that it’s a system that doesn’t work for me; despite not having used the traditional model that we are taught for a couple of years now, I never really gave much thought to the fact that a whole new way of planning and creating a framework for yourself to live and ride by was possible. The reason for this is pretty much everywhere I looked it was all very much the same. If it’s a system that works for so many, I thought, it must be me who is the problem. Set SMART goals! They yell from the rafters. If you don’t write your goals down, you are already behind! The tell you pointedly. What do the top 1% of the world’s achievers have in common? Goal setting! They enthuse. Side note: Who is this elusive 1%, I ask myself, and who is deciding that? The other thing? Having worked with literally thousands of riders up until this point, I knew it wasn’t working for a lot of them either- so much so, that I have coined a couple of phrases to describe what so many people felt. Goal Shame and Goal Panic (I describe what they are in the podcast). So, I sat down and got to work. I haven’t set goals for years, and yet I have my own successful business, 3 horses in work a husband, and two young children. I took everything I knew and distilled it into a completely different approach that I could share with other people- a non-planning plan- that combined all of the important elements that we need to pay attention to that allow us to be a sustainable presence in our own lives and create a framework for living and riding that allows us to follow our curiosity, tune into our intuition, and is full of the essence of what’s important to us. In this episode, we discuss: - How your nervous system is impacting your planning style (and your ability to dream and vision ahead in the first place) - The origins of the traditional goal-setting process (and why it might clash with how you approach your riding life) - Elements that are important to consider when creating a training framework for you and your horse I hope you enjoy it!