One enviable quality of artful agility trainers is their ability to adjust their approach when needed. They know how to break things down to create success and they’re willing to do it, even when they didn’t expect to need to.
Many admire this but neglect to cultivate it for themselves. Perhaps because it’s viewed as a gift instead of a skill. But it IS a skill, and it CAN be split into actionable steps and practiced. Here are a few ways how:
The first step of being able to pivot is to STOP. There are two components of any successful pivot. The SECOND is having an idea to try next. The FIRST is to stop doing what isn’t working.
If the second feels out of reach, master the first. Celebrate when you walk away from a challenge you don’t know how to solve right now. Seek solutions later, away from the field and the increasingly confused dog. Learn to skip digging yourself into a deep hole of regret. This alone is tremendously valuable!
Counteract impatience by nurturing confidence. The root of most impatience is actually doubt. What if this dog never learns great weaves? What if we never get this running dog walk? Think about it: if you’d seen the future and you KNEW it would work out beautifully, would you be so darn desperate to see progress TODAY?
Keep this in mind and practice thoughts that build your confidence. Ones like: We’re going to get there. I don’t need to finish everything in one session. This is part of the process. It’s going to work out!
Understand your process and keep it in perspective. When you pick a process to follow, understand it as fully as you can. Why does this step follow that one? What’s the logic behind the use of this prop vs another? Why do we reward in this particular way? The more you understand the better prepared you’ll be when you need to adjust.
Simultaneously, remain curious instead of judgemental of other processes. It’s human to want to know the RIGHT way to do something, but there is rarely (if ever) one right way. The broader perspective we maintain on the many ways people are successfully training any given thing, the more ideas we’ll have available when we need a new solution.
I hear too many people saying they wish they were more patient or more creative like so-and-so, but not acting on it. Usually this is because on some level we believe we can’t.
But every quality of an artful trainer is a skill that can be practiced and improved upon. It’s true you’ll never be exactly that other person, but you CAN change. You can make progress. And frankly, you really might surprise yourself if you try.
I believe we’re all capable of creating an agility experience that fills us with profound satisfaction and delight. I offer 1:1 coaching on mindset and thoughtful training to help people like you realize that potential. Interested? Email me to discuss
