Career Truths Learned from Horse Shows
- Performance is relative. You don't have to be perfect to succeed, just better than the next guy.
- If you have a bobble, go on as if nothing happened, and it's likely no one will notice.
- The only person whose opinion really matters is the guy (or gal) who signs your paycheck.
- Stay humble. Just because you won today doesn't mean you'll win tomorrow. Or the next day.
- Long term, gimmicks and shortcuts are no substitutes for talent and hard work.
- Hard work is no substitute for talent, but it'll do in a pinch.
- Appearance does count. Often, a lot.
- If you don't keep your skills current, you'll be obsolete.
- No matter how catastrophic today's failure may seem, there will another opportunity to succeed tomorrow.
- If you're successful today, no one will remember you failed yesterday.
- Cherish your accomplishments. Learn from your failures.
- Succeeding at something challenging is far more satisfying than succeeding at something easy.
- Understated is a safe choice, but not always the best choice.
- Looking like a winner makes you feel like a winner. If you feel like a winner, you'll have a competitive edge.
- If you're ostentatious, you'll get noticed. But if you don't deliver, you'll really be noticed.
- Be careful of the enemies you make - they could be your judges tomorrow.
- Money and connections can help you down the road to success, but you'll need hard work and talent to get the rest of the way.
- The good guys don't always win. Neither do the smartest or most talented guys.
- No one likes a complainer. Everyone likes a complimenter.
- There's no substitute for being prepared.
- No matter how good you are, if you don't play by the rules, you'll still lose.
- Cheaters win sometimes, but not most of the time.
- If you're not having fun, something needs to change. Only you can make that change.
- If you think you're too good for something, you'll quickly find out you're not good enough.
- You're your own worst critic.
- No success is worth sacrificing a friendship.
- If you think you're going to lose, you will. If you think you can win, you just might.
- Trying to succeed is different than trying to avoid losing.
- Long term, consistent performance will take you farther than flashes of brilliance.