Last time I invited you to Start Training for our bike tour.
I’m serious. We’d love to have you on the team. Whether you ride your bike or help with support, you’ll have a lot of fun and contribute to a great cause.
I’ve talked to a lot of people about long-distance tours. One common reaction is I could never do that.
I’d like you to examine this interaction carefully, because it’s about much more than riding bikes.
I didn’t suggest that you do the ride today. I didn’t even say you had to ride the entire distance to be part of the team and enjoy the experience. My invitation was to consider the possibility and begin training.
We tend to jump directly to the result. And since that seems overwhelming, we quit before we start.
I’m preparing a workshop for some men at Harvest Farm. We’ll spend some time on this issue of training & results, so I thought I’d share some ideas in the next two blog posts. I’d really appreciate your feedback in the comments.
So here’s my first principle:
Stop trying. Start training.
Do you ever get frustrated with trying so hard and not getting results? Ever thought it’s not fair? Here’s a tough question:
Have you done the required training?
Want to run a marathon? You probably can’t, at least not today. Doesn’t matter how hard you try, you’ll most likely fail.
But you can train for a marathon. And if you train well, you will be much better prepared for the desired result. In any case, you’ll be healthier because you trained.
Want to know the Bible? No matter how hard you try, you won’t know the Bible tomorrow morning.
But what if you train to know the Bible? What if you read a bit every day, study and pray and listen?
We look at the big stuff at the end of the journey and it seems impossible. But the important outcomes are usually built on smaller stuff—habits, simple daily acts that make up the training. And we find out that when we do those small things faithfully and consistently, they add up to something big.
Most important results are like that. Trying hard might not get you much. But if you stop trying and start training, you change yourself.
Training is its own reward. You learn, get in shape, grow stronger mentally, physically, and spiritually. The end result becomes a by-product.
The thing about training is that you can’t do it all at once. It takes a long time, and it’s boring, and sometimes you can’t see any progress.
Training requires faith. You have to believe that all of those hours will add up to something important, even when you can’t see it. It takes perseverance and determination.
What’s that big thing you want to do? What training needs to happen—today, this week—to get you on the road?
Want to be part of FRONT RANGE FREEDOM TOUR 2014? Perhaps you can’t—today. But it’s okay, because the ride’s in June.
What if you start training today and let the result take care of itself?
I’m riding on a stationary trainer in my garage today because I want to climb Raton Pass in six months. I couldn’t do that climb today. I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it in June. All I can do today is crank toward the wall.
What are you training for?
What’s something you’re trying hard to accomplish? Can you see the value of “Stop trying. Start training”?
(adapted from Bouncing Back archives 1/31/2011)
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