{"id":1382,"date":"2024-01-13T18:49:13","date_gmt":"2024-01-13T16:49:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hqmagazine.co.za\/pony\/?p=1382"},"modified":"2024-01-13T18:49:13","modified_gmt":"2024-01-13T16:49:13","slug":"expectations-are-you-being-fair-to-yourself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hqmagazine.co.za\/pony\/2024\/01\/13\/expectations-are-you-being-fair-to-yourself\/","title":{"rendered":"Expectations &#8211; Are you being fair to yourself?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have you ever set your heart on moving up a grade or even jumping bigger at home, only to be told you\u2019re not quite ready yet? Whether you\u2019re brand new to riding or are out on the competition circuit most weekends, the gap between your expectations (what you think will happen) and reality (what actually happens) can leave you feeling disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The good news is that this happens to everyone \u2013 you\u2019re not the only one! We all have ideas about how we\u2019d like things to go, and we all get disappointed from time to time. The key is to set realistic expectations so that you can enjoy your riding journey and not feel like a failure.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here, we look at what \u2018realistic expectations\u2019 really are to help us align as we set our goals for 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Alignment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A lot of knowing whether your expectations are set appropriately comes down to your feelings about them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When your expectations are too high, you can feel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Anxious<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A lot of pressure to perform<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Like you\u2019re not good enough<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When your expectations are too low, you can feel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Like you\u2019re not achieving anything<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>That there\u2019s no point in trying<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Embarrassed&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But, when your expectations are set \u2018just right\u2019 you can feel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Inspired and confident<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>That you know what goals are realistic for you<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>That you can see the progress you are making<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Aligned expectations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are our tips for getting your expectations set at a level that is just right for you and your pony:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Think critically<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many things we see online are filtered and sometimes even totally fake, so don\u2019t believe everything you see and think critically about whether what is coming through on the screen is the reality or not. In general, people only share the best bits of their lives online, so looking at other people\u2019s content is like looking at a highlights reel from their life \u2013 not reality. Remember this when setting goals for yourself and making them based on your reality, not the reality you see on Instagram.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Embrace your unique self<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All ponies are unique, and so are you! We all have our strengths and weaknesses, so we simply cannot \u2018copy\u2019 someone else\u2019s goals or compare ourselves to them in any way. We all have our own challenges, so just compete with yourself, not other people. Set goals that work on your or your pony\u2019s issues, and forget what everyone around you is doing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><\/strong><strong>Talk about it<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chat to the adults involved in your riding about your expectations because their hopes for you might differ from yours. Your coach may feel you want to be a happy hacker for your whole life, when in reality, you are hoping this year will be your first competitive year. By talking to the adults around you who know how you ride, you will be able to set realistic goals and have their support along the way.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><\/strong><strong>Set mini goals<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Setting big goals with a deadline way off in the future is a sure-fire way to demotivate yourself. Instead, set small goals that are achievable within a few weeks so that you can see progress against these. If you get just a tiny bit better each week, by the end of 2024, you\u2019ll be a different rider!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><\/strong><strong>Celebrate every little thing<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember, trying your best and putting in effort are achievements in and of themselves. Riding isn\u2019t all about winning or perfect progress \u2013 it\u2019s about spending time doing what you love, so make sure you celebrate every small step in the right direction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Final thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The journey of learning to ride is filled with highs and lows, and a lot of it involves huge psychological strength from you. Just remember, it\u2019s not a race to the finish but a chance for you to learn and grow while doing something you love.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Get your expectations aligned with reality and set small goals to move you forward, and you\u2019ll be astonished at the progress you can make.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever set your heart on moving up a grade or even jumping bigger at home, only to be told you\u2019re not quite ready yet? Whether you\u2019re brand new to riding or are out on the competition circuit most weekends, the gap between your expectations (what you think will happen) and reality (what actually [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1383,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[113],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pony-channel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqmagazine.co.za\/pony\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1382","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqmagazine.co.za\/pony\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqmagazine.co.za\/pony\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqmagazine.co.za\/pony\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqmagazine.co.za\/pony\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1382"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hqmagazine.co.za\/pony\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1382\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1384,"href":"https:\/\/hqmagazine.co.za\/pony\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1382\/revisions\/1384"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqmagazine.co.za\/pony\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqmagazine.co.za\/pony\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqmagazine.co.za\/pony\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqmagazine.co.za\/pony\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}