This is a tough, tough mental game. So many things in this sport can go either way and affect you for a long time. Maybe you drew the pup and won a buckle at your first junior rodeo. Or instead, you drew a zig-zagger, fell off and could hear the crowd laughing. A break here or there can change everything in either direction.

We live in a negative world, and are taught so much negativity from the start. When things are going great, some people are just waiting for disaster to strike around the next corner. We all need to learn to renew our minds, because we live in a society that dwells on the bad stuff.

Instead of worrying about little horns because you missed last time you drew a steer like that, I like to turn it around and tell myself, “I love little horns. I never waive it off little horns.” I even rehearse my victory lap in my mind before I rope a high-pressure steer. I’ve been there before, and envision doing it again. Then I think about how much fun it’s going to be to pick up that big check in the next couple hours.