The Competitive Edge

“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable –if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -  think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

Allen:  I think there is a common misconception about why ropers like Clay and I have succeeded like we have in the sport of roping. Some people assume that as soon as you get to be a really, really good roper you just stay good. But that isn’t true. I have a lot of people come up to me and ask what they can do to become mentally tougher. They seem to think that if they can simply focus better, or think differently, it will greatly improve their roping. They don’t realize that mental toughness actually comes from physical preparedness.

Clay: I encountered the mental game when I was really young. I started competing in rodeos when I was 7. At that time I didn’t realize what was going on, or that I was developing a competitive edge over other ropers. But even at that young age, as I practiced and competed, I started figuring out different principals about roping, things that worked and didn’t work. That taught me to focus my attention and concentration.

Allen: I would say commitment and discipline play a big part in mental toughness. Mental toughness in the arena is a subject that is brought up a lot. What is it that keeps you mentally tough and helps you do well when you have to do well? You have to prepare. It’s as plain and simple as that. I don’t care if you are talking about Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods, they have to work on their mechanics to be as sharp as possible so they are ready to compete at the top level when the event comes around. As far as roping and winning, you have to have discipline and practice. Before I go rope somewhere with a lot of money up for grabs, like the NFR, BFI, George Strait or 4^th of July run, I know I have to be focused and as sharp as I can possibly be. For people like Clay and I, that rope for a living, it takes the right kind of practice, at the right time, for the right length to keep us at the top of our game. When you know you have done everything possible to get yourself ready for the event – you have the right horse, your horse is in good condition, you having practiced on the right type of cattle, your arena set-up has mimicked the conditions at the event, and you are feeling sharp – THEN you have the mental edge. It seems like the people that go to the furthest extremes to get the right kind of practice are the most successful. That preparedness gives you confidence, the mental toughness, to get to the point you are successful.

Clay: I was fairly successful in the junior rodeos and jackpots. I knew I practiced hard and worked hard to overcome certain obstacles, and because of that investment of time I knew I would be successful in the arena. Years later, when I started reading the Bible, and trying to learn my walk as a Christian, I started to realize I was running into those same principles, like commitment and dedication, in the Bible. I realized that to be mentally tough meant to be focused on God’s word, to dwell on His ways, to be steadfast to do a certain thing and not let other thoughts or things come into my life to interfere.

Allen: There is a reason to feel good mentally when you have gone through your checklist of preparation and you have done the things necessary to be successful. There is a reason why people feel confident at some times and don’t at other times. Sometimes, I feel that when people ask me about mental toughness, they don’t realize what it means to be really confident going into competition.  I take those principles that Clay is talking about, commitment and discipline, and apply them to my marriage, my relationships with my kids, friendships and my relationship with the Lord. Doing things the way you know God wants you to do them gives you an inner toughness. Every day you have to go through the right formula and process to come to the right decision. Everyone reading this right now has probably already made a dozen important decisions today. One bad decision can affect a person’s whole life, so that’s why it is so important to have a handle on the way your mind works. That is where guys like Clay and I lean to the word of God, to renew our mind daily: Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test? ⁶And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 2 Corinthians 13:5-6.

Clay: Your thoughts are a very, very powerful force in your life. You have the power to choose what you think about. You can make a positive, conscience decision to stop your mind from thinking and dwelling on negative things. It is possible to change your mind from negative to positive thinking. Little by little you can "renew" your mind to only accept and think good, Godly thoughts. You are going to have thoughts come in, but to know how to manage your thoughts, to get ride of the undesirable thoughts and concentrate on the good thoughts, takes mental toughness. To be a good competitor in the arena, you have to be able to focus on the positive thoughts that are going to help your performance and keep your confidence high. Our Christian walk is the same way. When we stay focused on what Christ has done for us, what he is doing and what he will do, we can’t help but be confident in who we are in Christ. The enemy is going to try to come in and tell you something different. In my roping, when negative thoughts come to my mind, I look at them as my enemy. My goal is to perform a specific function and complete it successfully. Any thoughts that take away from that mission are my enemy.

Allen: I really believe that your competitive edge, mental toughness, isn’t a stand alone subject. It is tied to and affected by lots of different things in your life. Clay and I don’t win because we are mentally tougher than other ropers. Mental toughness in and by itself isn’t worth anything. You have to do all the things that lead up to those positive thoughts. It’s really a Biblical principal of “you reap what you sow.” And that’s where the homework comes in. In the arena you have to take the steps necessary to be prepared to compete at the top of your game. And in life in general, God’s basic principals will guide you to success in or out of the arena. The Bible isn’t a book full of religious do’s and don’ts, but is a success recipe God has left us. It is a book full of answers to be a success at everything we do – roping, business, marriage, raising kids, and on and on. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11. To me, that verse is like God telling me, “Hey look, you might think I have doubtful or negative thoughts about you, but let me assure you, I have good thoughts for you. I want you to succeed.” To know that the creator of the universe would go to the extent to make sure those words were printed in the Bible is awesome.

Clay: Knowing what is the right thing to do and not do is what keeps us strong mentally. Every day of my life I encounter negative thoughts, situations, relationships, people, and circumstances that I have to deal with. Being able to weed out the negative, unproductive thoughts in those situations is where you have the ability to overcome and succeed. My goal every day is to function in the greatest commandment Jesus gave – LOVE. If you read I Corinthians 13:4-8 you can read what love is about: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” And if we operate in the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22), then we will react appropriately to any situation. To me, that is mental toughness. Some people might argue that displaying love is not being mentally tough, but actually it isn’t easy to operate in love or other fruits of the spirit in all situations. There are lots of times you want to get angry or lose self-control or give up – but that isn’t the recipe God gave us for success. Negative thoughts are battles that we are up against daily, but when you start doing what the word says, it releases mental bondages that can hold you back. No matter what the situation, when you realize you have prepared for the battle in every way possible, there is great freedom and confidence in that knowledge. Some people look at reading God’s word as a required function, something they have to do, but that is looking at it the wrong way. When I apply God’s word to my life, it does bring peace and joy, and the direct beneficiary is me. But applying those principles takes thought management which requires mental toughness. When you apply Biblical principals to your life, you will gain a competitive edge that will position you for success. Be a doer of the word.