It's not what you know; it's what you do consistently.

This conversation is from episode 19 of the Parbery Podcast, so if you'd prefer to listen, click here. Otherwise enjoy the conversation with Brett Parbery and Nat Foxon.

Nat: Brett, I've got a Parberyism that's not really a Parberyism, and it's a little bit out of left field today. Are you ready for that?

Brett: Yes but out of left field worries me.

Nat: Today's Parberyism is stolen from Tim Ferriss. For anyone who doesn't know, Tim Ferriss is a podcaster, entrepreneur, and author. Brett, you've listened to some of Tim Ferriss's work. The Parberyism is, "It's not what you know; it's what you do consistently."

Brett: I like it.

Nat: I heard this and thought, "That's a Parberyism if I've ever heard one."

Brett: Yeah, I feel a bit of a phony adopting Tim’s words, but most of these ideas are shared. They’re tweaks on what you’ve heard before. I’m a massive fan of Tim Ferriss, and I love everything he does.

Nat: Yeah, so it's not what you know, it's what you do consistently. What really interested me about this topic is that you've had so many years coaching, whether on the sidelines of arenas or through our Performance Riders programs. You've done it all. I'm really interested in your take on the difference between riders who take your knowledge and make radical changes versus those who get stuck, despite having the same knowledge. That's what I'm interested in discussing today. What comes to mind first?

Brett: Well, what comes to mind is the person. From a coaching perspective, I’ve always said I can take a rider as far as they want to go. I’ve been lucky to train with the best in the world and achieved top finishes at major international shows, including World Games. I believe I have the knowledge and connections to get someone into the top 20 in the world. But it’s always about the person. You can say this about any professional sport—the coach is only as good as the person the information lands on. Some coaches can inspire and motivate through their people management skills, but it’s the person who needs to implement and keep going.

I've seen people who were always going to be champions, no matter who their coach was. Of course, the coach plays a role in key moments, but some people have those inbuilt qualities—they’re going to find a way no matter what. It comes back to the person. The coach can only do so much. It's the intelligence and drive of the individual that makes the difference.

I was in America recently, talking with the Olympian eventer Boyd Martin, a good friend of mine. We were discussing what it takes to be a champion, and Boyd quoted a famous American rider. He said there are roughly five things, in order. The first is selection—choosing the right horses and professionals around you. The second is the control of emotion, being resilient, and not letting highs or lows affect you too much. This includes managing your emotions in critical moments, like when you're the last rider for your country in a selection event.

Then there’s management—the ability to manage your career, show season, the welfare of your horse, and yourself. As you become more recognisable, more people want your time, so you need strong management skills. The fourth is connection—the ability to communicate with owners, syndicates, and other people involved in your career. It’s not a solo quest. The last is talent, which I love being last because it shows there’s so much more to success than talent alone.

Nat: Love that. Fantastic. Do you feel the same applies to amateur riders like those you teach at clinics?

Brett: Absolutely. It applies to anyone striving to find the best in themselves. Some of the best riders I've seen are amateurs, people with other careers who ride for the love of it. High achievers don’t have to be professionals.

Nat: Love that. So the Parberyism today is from Tim Ferriss—"It's not what you know; it's what you do consistently." What do you see with your clients in terms of what they’re not doing consistently that you'd like to see more of?

Brett: I see a few things. Sometimes it’s paralysis by analysis. Some riders overanalyze and forget to ride the horse. Women, in particular, tend to be more analytical and literal with the information, whereas men might just push through. But we have our own challenges when more detail is needed!

But I don't want people to be paralyzed by that. There's certainly a curiosity and an experimental phase that riders need to allow themselves to explore. I think overall, the majority of dressage-riding women just don't like making mistakes. Their empathy for the horse makes them worry about confusing the horse, and they blame themselves for any confusion.

I always say, don't worry—your horse isn't going to be too offended. Just go through the mistakes, have a giggle at yourself, and keep learning. Not allowing yourself to make mistakes shortchanges your growth. Another aspect is sustained focus, being able to focus for longer periods and with depth. Some people naturally have that more than others.

I think it's something we can grow and develop—the ability to focus for longer periods and become a bit blinkered, but in a good way. There's a negative way of having blinkers on, but sometimes, if you believe the system you're applying to your horse fits with the way you want to ride and train, then be certain about it. Be focused and clear about the two or three things that make up your system.

For example, it could be keeping the horse in front of the leg, yielding to the reins, being on the bit, in good posture, and on a straight line. Three uncomplicated things—not easy to do, but uncomplicated. So, put the blinkers on and focus on achieving that. Then, when you get it, notice it and move on without overanalyzing the pressure-release concepts we use in horse training. It’s about clarity—"I need you in front of me."

Having that focus and attention to detail allows you to say, "This is happening." Then, when it does, pressure off, reward, and keep going. Sometimes that level of focus and attention to detail is missing.

Another thing I’d love to see is more people investing in off-horse development.

It doesn’t have to mean going to the gym or doing three spin classes a week. It can be as simple as walking to the stables and doing three or four half-passes left and right, putting your body in the correct position, rehearsing your posture. Live and breathe it more, even when you're not on the horse.

If you can add exercise into the mix, even better—it’ll help you become more physically fit in general. But if you're short on time, use those "scrap" minutes. While you’re walking around, put yourself in those positions.

As a coach, I get to show people half-passes and body positions every weekend, walking them through changes or pirouettes. And every Monday, when I get home from a clinic, I always ride better because I've spent the weekend thinking about it and putting my body in those positions.

I wonder how people can do that when they’re only riding one horse a day and not thinking about it between rides.

Nat: Yeah, the first time they think about it is when they’re in the saddle. So true.

Brett: Exactly.

Nat: What about confirmation bias? When we only hear the information that backs up our existing beliefs or strengths. I think that can impact our 'doing' as well. Instead of working on what really needs to be done, we focus on the status quo or on building our strengths, rather than looking for weaknesses. Do you know what I mean?

Brett: Oh yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I fall into that trap myself. My wife, Mel, thinks I have confirmation bias. It’s definitely an awareness thing. It's human nature to have confirmation bias. That’s why I try to get riders in our program to regularly reflect on their philosophy of what and who they want to be as a rider. Your philosophy determines the information you hear and what you apply.

Brett: But that doesn’t always mean it’s the right information for you. To be a well-rounded rider, you need to peek over the fence at what others are doing, even if their philosophy is different from yours. Because they’ll know and do things that you might need to incorporate. I don’t believe anyone—unless maybe you're one of the top riders in the world—is a complete rider. Even then, I think the top riders don't believe they're complete.

One of the reasons top riders are at the top is that they’re always striving to reach that complete feeling. And they're extremely motivated to find it. So I don’t think anyone can say they’re a complete rider, because there’s always something you can do better.

If you put the handcuffs on yourself and don’t look at other ways of doing things, you’ll miss out. Even if you don’t agree with what others are doing, analyze why. Analyze what they’re doing.

And of course, when we look at someone else, we form opinions. But if you look deep enough, you’ll find something in what they’re doing that you can apply. That’s true for people of a certain status who’ve achieved things in the sport. We don’t all share the same philosophy, and we don’t all apply the same training.

That’s the beauty of it. So, be aware that you’re naturally attracted to certain information, and have the awareness to pick out the bits from other people’s riding that you’re weak at and try to apply them.

Nat: It can even happen with your own regular coach or clinician. It comes down to what parts of the session you actually absorb and what parts you choose to ignore.

It's fascinating in our programs when, after live sessions, everyone shares their "gold nuggets"—the key takeaways. It's amazing to see how differently people interpret the same session. Sometimes you think, "Did Brett really say that? I didn’t hear that the first time around."

Brett: Yeah, and that’s the beautiful part. In our program, we invite people to think about developing their own system of training and being accountable for it, applying that information regularly, whether with or without help. That’s what the horse appreciates—the consistency, the pressure-release, the clarity, and the fact that every day is the same.

It’s about inviting people to open their eyes and minds and start developing their own systems, guided by saying, "Here’s what I do." Then they can take that information, put their own twist on it, and work their way through to get their own definitions of things.

I love hearing people take ownership of their own training system.

Nat: Great conversation! I hope this conversation has provided some food for thought. It’s certainly made me reflect on what I know but am not doing, and why. Thank you, Brett.

Brett: Thank you, Nat. Very good. I don’t know if we fully got to the bottom of this one, but we certainly came up with some great stuff along the way.