When a good day breaks your brain.

Ever have a really good day and feel less confident as a result? It can happen for a few reasons: 

• We fear we can't repeat the excellent performance, that it was just a fluke (imposter syndrome).
• We're afraid we set a new standard that we have to live up to (pressure).
• We want to repeat that performance so badly that we tighten up (ring nerves).
• We think that others will alter their expectations of us (pressure & nerves).

Each of these is just a story we tell ourselves and the meaning we assign to the moment. Sometimes we try to manage our expectations and protect ourselves from possible future disappointment. But it's still just a story - it's only true if we make it true.

Consider this: two handlers have the same fantastic run and come away with two different stories about the experience. One person is elated and tells the story of progress and triumph, while the other handler immediately feels vulnerable and worries if it can happen again. Same run, two different stories.

The handlers are adding unnecessary meaning to their run and are also being outcome-focused. What often happens is that we do a really great job preparing for our trial, then we have a great day, and we instantly start focusing on the "end" of a future run (i.e. whether we repeat the performance or not).

Instead, what if we looked at all the things we did right and thought about repeating the process and preparation, leaving the results to take care of themselves? More time learning from our successes and less time making up stories.

I can't continue without acknowledging the role of self-talk in these scenarios. Sure, it's easy to say that it's all self-talk - the things we say to ourselves about ourselves. But I'm more curious about where those stories started and where else in life-life the habit of telling yourself these negative things began.

Did you always have these types of thoughts when something good would happen? When did you learn that after success comes failure? Did someone else put this pattern in your head? The key to changing any pattern is to recognize it so you can interrupt it to make a different choice - or in this case, tell a new story about what success means.

Digging deep into the origins of our negative self-talk is seldom fun or simple; it may take some self-reflection and journaling to dig out the root. And while you need to do that work, here are some actions to can take in the meantime:

• Look at why you were successful. What did you do? How did you prepare? What lessons can you bring forward?
• Focus on those process goals and stop worrying if you can repeat the performance. I promise you can't get the outcome goal by skipping your process goals.
• Go back to basics and simplify. You can't take a wheelbarrow full of to-dos into the ring and execute all of them - it's too much. Focus on a few.

When we get clear on what success looks like for our dogs and us, we turn the focus inward instead of on external measures like Qs and the expectations of others. Take a deep breath, get recentered, and prioritize your process and preparation. You can - and will - repeat that lovely performance!