7 Mental Traps...and How to Spring Them

some other possibilities freshness may be affecting his focus your anxiety may be transmitting to your mount in certain situations or your choice of corrective aids may not be right. Expanding your mind will help you take action and become a better problem solver.
3 Playing the What If Game
Symptoms If you have this tendency you figure the more you account for ahead of time the more trouble you can avoid. So if you think what if I fall off lose my stirrup miss the first distance overcorrect forget my course lose my pace... your mind can whirl around in this space for what seems like days.  Your anxiety level goes up and sure maybe you do avoid a few mishaps but at what cost? Usually you end up missing important cues in the here and now and stay focused on a future that seems very unfortunate.
Prescription Practice thinking what is and every time you feel the urge to predict the future bring yourself back to the present and anchor yourself there. This way you will be dealing with what is happening in the moment and lower your overall sense of anxiety and doom and gloom. Chanting what is to yourself as your mantra when you are tempted to think ahead can assist you in staying in the here and now.
4 Trying Too Hard
Symptoms There you are determined ultra focused... and white knuckled. So intent on getting the job done are you that nothing will stand in your way except of course a whole lot of tension and heightened nerves. Consider the message you send yourself when you try too hard I dont think its going to happen so I had better stay alert!
Prescription Stop trying. Thats right sit back a little. An effective focus in any athletic endeavour is characterized by a relaxed mind not a hyper vigilant one. There is power and strength in relaxation as odd as it sounds. When your mind is still it is better able to assess the situation you are in and act accordingly. Trying too hard usually means you are missing important cues as they unfold and this in turn harms your ability to respond to them effectively.
5 Addicted to Punishment
Symptoms Every time you make a mistake you get mad at yourself.  Fair enough but with this affliction you dont know when to shut it off. You go on berating yourself mercilessly in