How rodeo athletes can use affirmations to control negative thoughts

Pro rodeo is a tough sport with the worlds toughest people participating in it. For them it’s not a sport, but a way of life…an identity. What I’ve also come to appreciate is how serious they take their mental preparation before an event and how they break things down after a performance. They’ll talk about using various mental tools like: visualization, breathing techniques, and affirmations.

I wanted to take a moment and discuss affirmations a little bit more. Because I don’t think people fully understand how / when to use them to be fully effective.

Depending on who you speak with there could be different definitions. It’s most commonly associated with positive thoughts or things said to oneself. The Oxford Dictionary would say it’s a way of emotionally supporting or encouraging a person.

Example:

“I am the greatest!”

For many athletes you will normally see them reciting affirmations leading up to or just before competition. They’ll either recite the affirmation in their mind, out loud, or under their breath. You can see affirmations written on sweatbands, rubber bracelets, or written on the tape used to wrap different limbs.

Many athletes use an affirmation to “think positively” or “psych themselves up” or “get in the zone.”

In some situations, an athlete will have a negative thought that they are trying to avoid and so they want to replace it with an affirmation.

When things are going well for the athlete, an affirmation is just an added security blanket to remind them how awesome they are. It goes on to reinforce that they are the best at what they do.

Imagine the following example:
You’ve planted a garden full of vegetables waiting to bear fruit. A few months later you’re walking through these perfect rows of produce almost ready to be harvested. You notice a few weeds and think: “those don’t belong there” and remove them.

As you walk away from the garden you say: “I am one heck of a good gardener.”

You believe it because you can see the proof…even though it hasn’t been harvested yet.

Continuing with the gardener example for a moment…I purposely used this as it relates to an example I heard from Tony Robbins on affirmations. In it he says:

“You go to your garden and notice it’s overgrown with weeds. You close your eyes and say: “there are no weeds…there are no weeds” only to open your eyes and see the weeds are still there.

This is where affirmations are not helpful. While you want to believe there are no weeds, the truth is…there are weeds.

When an athlete affirms that: “they got this” or “I am the best” or something similar…your brain is checking that against what it knows is true.

For an affirmation to work you MUST believe it. If you’re saying  “I am the best” your brain is checking that against what it knows is true. If you’ve had a rough go the last few competitions or perhaps have a fear associated with an injury or your abilities, you’re only affirming that you’re lying and your brain knows it.

Which is also why as an athlete, you’re sitting there with conflicting thoughts. Clients will often say, it’s like they’re arguing with two different people when in fact you’re arguing with the same person….YOU!

Affirmations can be very powerful…but you must be affirming something you actually believe. For my rodeo friends, if you haven’t made 8 seconds for 5 rides in a row…an affirmation may not help you.

We must go in and remove the actual weeds in our garden.

Which is why I suggest the following to remove the weeds from your garden:

1. If you’re going to affirm anything, it should be the process that needs to be followed to get a ride done.
   
   
   • I will often ask riders for example, what are 3 things you need to do to have an 8 second ride with a score of at least 85?
     
     
   • The answer to this question is what you affirm. This is what you focus on. Because your brain knows it’s true.
     
     
2. When you affirm a process, there is no need to be in conflict and it can center your focus. Your brain is going…”yeah, that makes sense. When we did this last time we won (or had a great ride).”
   
   
3. It limits the argument in your mind.
   
   
   • For some folks depending on what they’re dealing with they may still be fearful or doubt their abilities before a ride or event.  Let’s say the first thing in your 3-step process is: “Breathe slow and easy.”
     
     
   • You say: “slow and easy” and start to focus on your breathing. Your brain goes: “yep that makes sense” and further works to relax you as you breathe slow and easy. If a thought enters your brain you don’t want (a weed) you can quickly shift back to “slow and easy”.
     
     
   • Perhaps the second thing is getting your rope and hand right. You start to say: “rope, rope, rope”
     
     
   • Once again your brain agrees. Another one of them weeds starts to creep in, and you say: “Nice try! Rope…rope…rope”
     
     
   • Your rope is set you’re about to nod your head, and the last weed starts to creep in your mind…to which you start your last affirmation: “roll with it.” (Which is to say whatever the animal does, you’ll roll with it)

The truth is most rodeo athletes know exactly what needs to get done to have a good ride. They just want/need to get out of their own way.

Affirmations are a great tool…when they’re reinforcing what you want to believe.

A gardener can deal with weeds in many ways, but weeds HAVE to be dealt with. There is also a time and place for weeding. Many clients spend the week preparing for the weekend and creating their affirmations.

I’ve also had clients that will say, “I just have to go out and do it to prove to myself it can be done.”

I agree. However, I can tell you from experience, years ago I went skydiving to get over my fear of flying. It didn’t help me. In fact, it created more weeds in my garden. I could say “I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid…” but the truth is I was shitting my pants.

What I needed to do was kill the weed at it's root. I needed to use techniques so that when I said: “ I am not afraid” I believed it.

Your affirmations can change as they need to, so you get the results you want. I recommend that early in the week you think of the 3 things you want to focus on. Then if you have the chance to practice, or even when you’re visualizing your rides…incorporate these new affirmations in the process and see how you feel.

If you notice it clears your mind…fantastic!

If you’re struggling with something that you feel is hindering your ability to achieve your goals, know that there is help for you. If you liked this article and know someone it could help I encourage you to please share it.

If someone you know is struggling with getting the weeds out of their garden and are looking for better ways to achieve their goals, then please send them this blog post right now. Just copy the link and send it in a text. It's that easy.

The difference between a successful ride that wins the round versus the one where you were mere milliseconds away is not measured by the clock. It's measured in the little things that you did or didn't do. If you're missing that incredible ride, if you want that unforgettable experience that comes with a successful season you'll remember you're entire life, but you can't get out of your own way...I can help. Something is holding you back mentally...so email me for a formal session right now by clicking the link below. 

anthony@butkoviclifecoaching.com

My strategies have been used to help rodeo athletes ready to win right now. While the season may seem long, each week goes by quickly and consistent results are required to make you a champion. Having the right mental preparation and tools can help you get there. In one session my clients have experienced a dramatic shift that's allowed them to win right now. All it takes is an email. 

If you have an injury or physical set back the folks at Acumen Health are absolutely fantastic. 

Check them out at:

https://acumensportsandshoulder.com/