“Good is the enemy of great.” – James Collins

With over 20 years in the saddle industry and another 20 in the rodeo world as a seven time NFR Tie Down Roper, Tod has seen and experienced alot. With honesty and compassion, Tod gives some of his best tips for achieving big goals.

1. You get out what you put in. If you want to get the most out of life, then you have to give at least 100%. We all need to strive for something that is important to us – something that makes you come alive. That makes setting goals important. Without them, you are just wandering along life’s highway and you most likely won’t end up where you planned to go.
2. Achieve a long-term goal by setting short-term goals. Set your long-term goal, then formulate a plan to reach it by working backwards setting tough, yet clear and attainable, short term goals. For example, a part-time team roper wants to win the big money in Las Vegas at the WSTR Finale. To do that, they’ll need to be in a position to win one of the WSTR jackpots in their state. But even before that, you’ve got to win a local team roping jackpot, which includes roping under pressure, choosing partners and horses, etc. So…to win BIG, you first have to learn to win small.
3. Set goals based on what you have control over. It’s not realistic for your goal to be to win 1st place at a certain roping, barrel race, or rodeo. There are too many factors that you don’t have control over, such as the draw, how your partner is prepared, or how you draw up on the ground. All of these effect the outcome. You should set your goal to have your horse, equipment, and your body, mind & attitude prepared in such a way that you’ll be able to compete at your best, no matter the circumstances. Click here for tips on how to be Fit To Win. 
4. Achieving your goals is a rough and bumpy road. It isn’t always going to go smoothly. There will be setbacks. How you handle those setbacks will either catapult you closer to your goal or derail your progress – it’s up to you. So, handle them with a positive attitude and don’t lose sight of that goal!
5. Assess your strengths and weaknesses. Then, attack your weaknesses while you continue developing your strengths. Listen to feedback and opinions, but be careful to consider the source and make sure that feedback makes sense. There are lots of people willing to coach you that mostly just like to hear themselves talk, but don’t really have a clue what they’re doing…much less, what you need to do.
6. Commit. Work hard toward your goals daily! Things will get in the way with work, family, and plenty of other distractions; however, if you can take small steps, even on a busy day, it will pay off in the long run. One thing to remember is everyone puts forth some sort of effort to be better, but it’s the ones that put forth the extra effort (especially when times are tough) are the ones that will rise to the top.

Get out there and get going! I’ll be cheering you on from the saddle. – Tod