Fearless Riding (Part II)

Be your own cheerleader

It is possible to brain wave your way to improved riding.

Neuroscience, which deals with the structure or function of the nervous system and brain, offers athletes a unique training tool. The secret is to know your neurons better.

Competitive excellence, like the kind Olympians possess, is achieved through years of extensive and consistent training. But they also manage their neurons:

1. Self-Regulation

   Goal Setting: Identify intended outcome, include short-term and difficult goals

   Goal Orientation: Improve skill set, aim to outperform others

   Self-Evaluation: Own a poor performance and adjust strategies

   Self- Efficacy: Be your own cheerleader

2. Decision-Making Skills

   All sports require some kind of decision-making. Skilled athletes have trained their decision circuits to make quicker and better choices. This could be what sets elite athletes apart…their brains compute faster. To tap into this tool…train extensively and consistently.

3. Staying Calm Under Pressure

   Skill, cognitive abilities, and training become meaningless if Olympians choke under pressure. The ventral striatum, a brain region involved in encoding value and processing reward, plays a crucial role in the interface between motivation and performance.

The very best athletes might avoid choking under pressure by how they frame the task:

Focusing on positive potential outcomes instead of worrying about potential failure may lead to success in moments that really count.

Focus on a good outcome