The NFR round 9 team roping is on and I’m just now finishing. As I post today’s blog, it takes me back to my school days, turning in assignments just in time. My bags haven’t been packed, but the week sure has been! I’ve spent a lot of time looking back at my goals and evaluating where I want to go in 2025. We are ending this season of 2024, with some cold days (for Arizona). But still warm enough for Grams to bring new life to her rose plant. She has never raised one before, so I guess one of her goals this year was to keep this one alive. And she’s doing splendidly.

Grams and I have been faithful NFR watchers. For those that may not be familiar, this is the Superbowl of rodeo, and there are several world championships that are close. I’ve thought about what goals might look like for each athlete or what mine would be at that caliber. One of my favorite Headers, Coleman Proctor, noted his first goal at the NFR is to do his job as a header. He’s in the thick of the all-around race as well, but he mentioned he’s controlling the pressure valve and focusing on his heading. Others have divulged in their interviews the importance of letting loose and having fun. This one I resonate with, as I tend to be intense with goal setting, and at times, forget to “smell the roses” and enjoy the process. All in all, what a fitting week to dive in, dissect, and share some of my own goals from 2024.

This year had a bit of a different look to the list. Last fall, a friend told me about a method where you write down 100 goals for the year. You don’t look at it often, but by the end of the year, you can look and see what you really did. I looked at my list quarterly. I remember writing them, big things, and smaller items, but all important to each of the 100 lines. I won’t share them all, but a few that stuck out re-reading them today:

#3 Thank God every day

#21 Have a willing heart

#33 Cast out Doubt

#63 Cut off any attention-seeking relationships

#67 Wash face every night

#80 Give cheerfully

#88 When I wake up, get up!

#95 Declare sufficiency in all things

When I say 100 things, it could be anything! Kind of wild isn’t it? What was first? #1 on the list was to build the trailer God asked me to. I smile again and again reading that one. It took a lot of faith to get to the point where I was confident that this was a goal from God, and not just some wild hearted drifter ideology. The Hart Trailer portion is done and completed, and my God, it is beautiful. Some of the members of the Hart team and my dealer and friend, Angie, prayed and wrote bible verses in strategic places of the infrastructure. After the NFR, the living quarters will begin construction and interior finishings. ETA is end of January, but I keep reminding myself no matter when it is done, God’s going to be on time. This was a big one to check off the list. Many others won’t get a check…yet.

Timing and seasoning are major. My friend and mentor, Donene Taylor would say, “That’s why we write our goals in pencil. It may be a “no” not right now answer, but it doesn’t mean never.” I was first introduced to Donene through her book, “Heart of a Champion.” After my very first practice session swinging a breakaway loop, her book was recommended to me. I was glued to Donene’s story. She went into detail how her dream started, the challenges and vulnerable moments in her journey, and finally, how she became a World Champion.

At the end of her book, Donene invites you to call her about “running down bold goals.” She is a mental performance coach to many top breakaway athletes in the world, and I knew I wanted her to coach me. I don’t know what was within me that said to call her as soon as I finished the book, but I did. The dial tone back in my ear echoed in my stomach. She answered. I could sense her warmth through the phone. Before we got any further than names and me asking her to coach me, she asked me where I was in my roping. Conversation kind of got quiet. “Claire, do you have a horse? I mean where are you at?” I was as honest as I could be, telling her I just started roping the dummy, and I’d figure out a way to get into this sport. Confidently I told her I know I belong in this arena.

We began to shift conversation away from roping to other goals and ambitions I had previously. I promised her, “When I get into something I go all in.” I began to go down the list. “When I learned to ski, I got lessons, ran with a crew better than me, and became a double black diamond skier. When I picked up archery, I started trail running so I could keep up with anyone I hunted with. I ran an 18-mile trail run, finishing in the top 1/3 of all women, and shot a 9×6 elk from 33 yards. I am going to be a roper.” Taking a breath, I didn’t want to take no for an answer. She said something I didn’t expect. Cooly and calmly she responded, “Claire you’ve done this before. You’ve set goals, gone after them, and achieved them. I know I can work with you, but for you to get the most out of my program, I don’t want to start until you are roping out of the box.”

As promised, Donene coached me when I started roping out of the box. Her tools have stayed with me and spilled over into other walks of life. Looking at my list of goals from this season, there are several “written in pencil” that weren’t for right now, but I won’t take a no for. #9 on the list is winning a team roping. I won’t be entering again until 2025, and that’s ok.

What I learned this year made me a better roper. During a practice session, I decided this spring I didn’t want to rope sloppy just to win. I will be a consistently sharp roper; no band-aids or bad habits just to catch. This meant going back to the practice pen, a lot, getting granular, and compounding the little habits of practice rarely anyone sees. Honestly, it made it more difficult to have fun at times. Some days, I wanted to cut up my ropes, sell my gear, and be done because I love to compete, but not as much as I love being competitive. The grind was heavy.

One day this spring I specifically remember walking to Cash’s pen. As I unchained the gate, I kept meditating on his registered name:  Promoting Heaven. I never knew his registered name until after I bought him. But still, for his bloodlines to line up, long before me, to pass on names that would culminate to his registered name just had me in awe. I felt so seen in this moment alone with just me and Cash. So surreal that a horse I could have never found on my own found me, and blessed me with far greater things than winning a team roping. It was in this spring season I decided there was never a dollar amount I could place on him because I wouldn’t trade him for anything in the world.

Which brings me to one of the most memorable team-roper revelations of all time. Coleman Proctor was second high-call at the BFI in 2023, one of the largest opportunities to win money for team ropers. As he tells the story in detail, he talks about how much awareness he had, soaking in every moment with clarity. He could see the steer breathe. As the run unfolds, Coleman missed. A professional, top of the top end team roper admits where he needs to get better. If that isn’t telling about this sport, I don’t know what else is. Although he didn’t win first, he says, “I still wouldn’t have traded my horse for anything in the world… What’s fun about this sport, and yea, I missed one to win it, but having the opportunity. That’s what we live for.”

Friends, it’s not always about the goal itself. Not every year is a home run, check all the goals off the list kind of year. And honestly, if it is, I don’t think your goals are high enough. There’s probably more on my list of 100 things that will be re-written in pencil than things that will get crossed off. But as I write this with two and a half weeks left in the year, I can’t help but be thankful for all the opportunities from 2024. I know I gave my year my all, and still am. 2024 isn’t over yet, but soon it will be, and a new season will begin.

Just as important as finishing is moving on. Goal #37: Stay in the season. Leave the season when it’s time. We can’t live in our past victories or revelations if we expect more to come. Sure, those elements can guide us in our next “yes,” but if we hold onto the past, no matter how good it is, we won’t be able to walk into the next realm, the next phase, or the next calling God has for us. Seasons don’t always follow the calendar, kind of like Grams roses. But I think we can all look back at times we held onto something rather than pruning what should have been left so we could start or build on something new.  

Through it all, my favorite goal: #98 Praise. It is a gift to run the race. It is a gift to write the goal, even in pencil. The opportunity is the gift we should all live for. And no matter the outcome, praise. I can’t tell you the number of times this year I couldn’t see the goal. It looked low, unattainable, and dead. And the process was heavy. In those moments, praise was the most important thing I could have done. Praise positions our hearts in a place of gratitude, giving thanks to the One who is higher than us. It closes doors no man can open and opens doors no man can shut. God is in control and is always worthy of my highest praise. No matter if it’s winning the BFI, or appreciating the horse in the pen we get to walk into, praise is the most powerful weapon.

So no matter where you’re at in this season, I hope you find time to give thanks and praise for the opportunities in your year. Whether goals went the direction you desired, or maybe got written in pencil, rejoice always.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus in you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

Thank you, reader, for being part of goal #52: Launch Wild Hearted Drifter. I am truly humbled and grateful for each one of you, your comments, support and your love. Subscribe if you like, and drop a comment below, even just to say hello. See you next week!