Happy Saturday! If you’re new to THE CRAZY QUEST, you may wish to read about it here. Basically, I’m tracing my journey as I attempt to answer the question: What would you do if you didn’t know you couldn’t do it?
This week of training: 150 miles
WHY NOT ENJOY THE RIDE?
The first rule of focus: ”Wherever you are. be there.”
“I wish they’d cancel practice today.”
I used to chuckle when students in my classes complained about a team practice. “If you don’t like the sport, why’d you join the team?”
Sometimes I have the same internal debate with myself before a training ride. I procrastinate as though someone forced me to begin this silly hobby.
Then, while I’m cranking up a difficult hill I’ll catch myself grumbling about hills, heat, thirst, and any number of other aspects of the ride. And I notice that the best time in the entire experience is the end.
Makes me wonder: If I don’t like riding, why am I doing it?
Actually, I do enjoy riding my hand cycle. So what’s with the grumbling? I think I’ve developed a few self-defeating mental habits that apply to cycling and to life in general.
- I focus too much on negatives. I have to crank up the hill anyway. Why not look around, find something interesting, and enjoy the scenery?
- I’m not fully present. I’m thinking about something that already happened or preparing for the next task. The ride is its own activity with its own moment. There’s plenty of time to rehash the past and tackle the future, so why not focus on enjoying the unique character of this ride?
- I don’t accept responsibility for my own choices. I tend to think as though a mythical, unidentified “they” pulls the strings. This encourages a victim mentality.
- I focus on results rather than the process. If I do the right thing in each moment and make the process excellent, the results will take care of themselves.
- I look forward to “getting finished.” What if I changed my attitude and viewed the end of the ride as a disappointment?
The sweat and discomfort of the ride increase fitness and build strength. That’s a big reason I ride each day. I wonder how the experience would change if I changed me attitude and my thinking?
I don’t want my life to be an endless series of tasks and activities to check off the list. “Getting finished” isn’t the best way to maximize the gift of each moment.
What’s something you seem to hurry through without full appreciation?
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