Go Ahead - Act Like A Winner !
Getting to ( or Getting Back to ) the Winner ’ s Circle
Martha Josey ’ s Comeback Strategy
Go Ahead - Act Like A Winner !
How do you go about becoming a winner when you haven ’ t won anything , yet ?
Martha Josey , says that if you want to be a winner , you need to look like a winner . She always does .
Her reasoning is that if you dress the part and look the part , you are one step closer . You feel good about yourself .
Martha is equally meticulous about the appearance of her horse . Together they present a polished picture .
But back to the question of how do you go about becoming a winner when you have yet to win anything , here is the key :
The best way to become what you want to be is to act like you already are . So if what you want to be is a winning barrel racer , you need to start acting like one . Right now , right this minute ! You might be thinking , “ That ’ s easy to say , but I can ’ t just start acting like a winner ... I haven ’ t won anything , yet !”
I guarantee you . No one is going to
Getting to ( or Getting Back to ) the Winner ’ s Circle
Whether you ’ ve been there and are trying to get back , or you ’ ve never been to barrel racing ’ s top level and want to get there , competition is a journey . It involves preparing your horse , but equally important is preparing yourself . The raw materials you ’ ve got to work with determine how much you ’ re going to have to work at it .
That ’ s the hard truth . But stepping up to the plate and committing to give that extra effort is how unknowns and underdogs become winners .
If you ’ re a world champion riding a proven winner , your raw material ( winning record plus experience plus experienced winning horse ) puts you in a psychological place where you and your horse do a lot of things automatically . Make no mistake , many former National Finals Rodeo qualifiers still get nervous , very
- Cheryl Cody come up to you and say , “ I ’ ve been watching you , and I have noticed that you ’ ve been acting like a winner everywhere you go . Well , I checked and YOU HAVEN ’ T WON ANYTHING , YET !”
If that ’ s what is stopping you , relax because that ’ s just not going to happen .
Instead , what does happen is that you become who you want to be . Even if you ’ re one of many , out there , who is uncertain , unsure , and really nervous about competition - even beginners .
You see , every beginner is already a winner . She ’ s won over just thinking about it but not having the nerve to try .
Beginners have won over letting the fear of looking silly in front of people keep them from living the dream .
Those beginners have won over a thousand people who are afraid to let their hearts hang out .
Yes , every beginner is a winner , and every winner was once a beginner !
nervous in some cases . But even though they might still get butterflies and have to work to stay calm and focused , they have the advantage of having been there , and knowing they can achieve at that level .
For others who haven ’ t yet begun to win who are riding horses that have not yet established themselves , winning takes a lot more work . But it ’ s a goal that has been accomplished countless times and every winner was once a beginner !
If that ’ s where you are , commit to more preparation , more application and more work to put you into a place that you can take that inexperienced horse into the arena and make his best run . You can do it - just get started today !
Martha Josey ’ s Comeback Strategy
During my career , I ’ ve had major injuries three times .
In 1968 , my first year in the WPRA , I was coming out of the arena at Houston and my horse stumbled in the alleyway running out , did a flip and I ended up with a brain concussion . I went ahead and completed my next go-round at Houston . But , since my equilibrium wasn ’ t good , I didn ’ t win the money that I thought I should . I still wanted to compete so much because this was my first year in the pro ranks and I knew I had the horse that could do it .
R . E . and I headed to California by way of San Angelo and I went around the first , got to the second , turned and didn ’ t go around the barrel . I asked Josey why they flagged me out . He said , “ You didn ’ t go around the barrel .” I didn ’ t even realize that I ’ d missed the turn .
I had the want-to but this concussion was really a lot worse than I thought . I had asked the doctor when I could ride again he said when you feel like it . He assumed it would be six months to a year before I felt like it and what he didn ’ t understand is that I really , really wanted to make the finals — so , I felt like it a week later .
R . E . had always wanted to go to Chowchilla roping and I wanted to go to some of those early California rodeos . We headed to California and I won a couple and then here it ’ d go - I ’ d miss the pattern again . A friend asked , “ Martha how are you doing after your accident ?”
“ Wonderful ”, I said , as I was pouring a coke down the front of my blouse . We both realized then I needed to go home . We headed for Texas . That was probably the year I could have won the world on
Martha ’ s Comeback - Cont . on P . 4