"Stop calling it a dream, and start calling it a plan"

One of my favorite quotes is, “Stop complaining about the results you didn't get from the work you didn't put in the only way to become more successful than most people is to be willing to do something most people aren't willing to do”. When I first realized my love for horses, I never thought I would be where I am now. I never thought of myself as the type of girl with a desire to risk my life on a 2,000lb animal, for fun! I was the type of girl who didn't like getting dirty, working hard, or anything dangerous in general. To be honest, I have no idea how I got where I am now, personality wise. Change takes time, but most importantly, work. Physical work, and mental work. Achieving your dream/goal can be both scary and exciting! So I'm going to give you five basic steps to achieve your goal, in the long run!

#1-prioritize. Finding out what is really important to you is the first step to getting where you want to go! Whether it means subtracting something from your life, or adding something! Figure out where things stand on your "importance scale", before you begin to work towards achievement. Know it won't be easy, or quick.

#2-take action. Nothing is going to happen if you sit around and wait for everything to feel right & look right. No, it's not going to be easy. It's going to be uncomfortable. Infact, it's probably going to suck, a lot! But if you really want it, you'll do what it takes.

#3-patience. Nothing happens overnight. Know its going to take time, work, effort and drive!

#4-the burnout/road blocks. "I threw in the towel, god threw it back and said 'wipe your face, you're almost there'" I think most athletes will tell you, with every long journey, there comes doubt and negativity. You'll find yourself questioning whether it's worth it or not. You may even give up. Little things like "why am I even doing this" or "what if I just stop now, It would be so much EASIER". It's not about easy, it's about drive. The devil thrives off these negative thoughts! James 1:12 says “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

#5-don't stop. Its important once you reach your main goal, don't stop there! Keep going until you simply can't go any further! When I was 8, my only goal was to get a horse. But with that journey, grew other goals and from those came more goals, and so on. Now I'm a barrel racer, with the goal to become the best. While I'm content where I am, I'm making sure to look towards what's to come!

I hope you found this an encouraging read! Be sure to subscribe and click that like button!