I didn’t even know what equanimity was until recently. And I’ve been in this world a long time—as an athlete, an educator, and a mom. I’ve spent years around performance, pressure, and people who care deeply about what they do. But no one ever handed me this word. No one ever taught me this skill. And the truth is—when we know better, we do better. That’s what changed things for me. And it’s exactly how I want to help athletes now.

Equanimity is your ability to stay steady—mentally and emotionally—no matter what’s happening around you.

It doesn’t mean you don’t feel nerves.
It doesn’t mean you don’t care.

It means your emotions don’t take over your performance.

Because in rodeo, something is always going to challenge you:

The question isn’t if something goes wrong.

It’s what happens inside of you when it does.

I see it all the time.

An athlete is capable. Prepared. Talented.

And then one moment shifts everything.

They hit a barrel.
Miss a calf.
Feel something unexpected.

And instantly, everything speeds up.

They start chasing.
Forcing.
Overthinking.

Not because they don’t know what to do—
But because they’re no longer in control of themselves.

And when that happens, your timing goes.
Your feel goes.
Your confidence goes.

Not permanently—but long enough to matter.

It’s not flat. It’s not emotionless.

It’s controlled.

It’s being the same rider—no matter the situation.

Pressure doesn’t test your skill.

It tests your ability to regulate yourself.

At every level of rodeo, there are talented athletes.

The difference is who can stay steady when it counts.

Because the athletes who win consistently aren’t the ones who feel the least…

They’re the ones who don’t let what they feel take over.

Most athletes train their body.
Some train their mind.

Very few train their state.

That space between what happens… and how you respond to it.

That’s where equanimity lives.

And whether you realize it or not, 

that space is either working for you—

or against you every time you compete.

The best athletes aren’t the ones who never get rattled.

They’re the ones who don’t stay rattled.

They don’t let one moment define the next.
They don’t let emotion dictate execution.
They don’t get pulled out of who they are as a rider.

They stay steady.

That’s equanimity.

If you’re reading this and thinking,
“Yeah… that’s exactly what happens to me,”

You’re not alone.

And it’s not a talent issue.
It’s not a work ethic issue.

It’s something most athletes were never taught.

But it can be learned.

And it can change everything about how you compete.

If you’re ready to understand this on a deeper level—and start showing up differently when it counts—reach out to me. Because once you know better…you don’t have to keep repeating the same patterns.

Do better with SAM Coaching.