Life Lessons from the Road
5 Life Lessons I've Learned from Riding my Bike
Cycling has always been important to me, and it has taught me lessons far beyond the places the sport has taken me. The experiences and emotions I have felt on the bike have always been similar to the ones I have experienced off the bike. The simple principles of overcoming and never, ever giving-up are reinforced every time I go out on a ride. Without a doubt, cycling has shaped me into who I am today and the values I stand for. Below, are 5 Life Lessons I've learned whilst riding my bike.
- One Mountain Pass at a time
The high mountains and Alpine Passes have always attracted cyclists for the physical, mental, and environmental challenges. The lessons learned from cycling in the mountains are invaluable. Specifically, it is important to just focus on reaching the summit of one Mountain Pass at a time when planning to ride multiple Passes. No matter how many more Mountain Passes lay ahead, stay in the moment and focus on just summiting one Pass at a time. No matter the suffering or pain in the moment, one more Mountain Pass is always possible!
One more Mountain Pass is always achievable whether it's on the bike or figuratively in real-life. Often times, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the tasks of the day. However, focusing on finishing one task at a time, rather than all of them at once, makes a workload much more manageable.
- Never, ever give-up
Cycling often pushes us physically and mentally to the limit. When riding full-gas, the lungs gasp for air, lactic acid builds quickly in the legs, and vision narrows. When doing 6 -7 hour endurance rides, the body automatically goes into ketosis no matter how many carbs the body takes in. Suffering is synonymous with cycling. However, never giving-up is also synonymous with cycling.
No matter what suffering we go through, cyclists always find a reason to move on. Cyclists understand that the moments of suffering do not last forever - they are brief moments that pass. Cyclists never stop pedaling. Cyclists never, ever give-up on the bike or in life.
- Always go for a ride even if it's raining
Ideal cycling conditions seldom exist. Sometimes there is headwind, sometimes it is terribly cold or miserably hot, and sometimes it rains. Out of 100 rides maybe only 10 of them are ridden in perfect conditions. So never let the weather or anything else stop you from riding your bike or getting things done, embrace the conditions and adapt to the environment.
Perfect conditions also rarely exist in life. However, it is safe to say that life often throws a lot more at us than headwind and rain drops. In life, there are undoubtedly more setbacks than achievements, and most likely more difficult times than easier times. Adapting to the day's challenges and overcoming the setbacks takes us far in life. Just like riding in the rain...
So, always go for a ride even if it's raining.
- Relationships are most important in life
There is a saying that says, "Nice people ride bikes." I am biased, but I believe this to be 100% true. I have met the kindest people, while riding my bike. Many of whom are some of my best friends today. Cycling is quite simply not the same without friends and people. The experiences on the bike and in the mountains are best shared with friends. These are the moments I will remember for the rest of my life.
Cycling teaches us that relationships are most important in life. It also teaches us the correlation between real happiness and healthy relationships. Real happiness is beyond what we feel good or guilty about, more than what we have or have not accomplished, and more than how much money we have or don't have. Real happiness is about our relationships with each other and the nature around us. Cycling with friends gives cyclists this perspective and helps us understand what is most important in life.
- Work hard
There is no secret to becoming an elite-cyclist. It takes a lot of hard work, sacrifice, and more hard work. The cyclists, who become successful are the ones who can consistently ride their bike 15 - 20 hours a week. There is no substitute for hard work in cycling, and there is no way around riding thousands and thousands of kilometers to reach an elite-level. Putting in the hours consistently is irreplaceable in cycling.
In life, there is also no replacement for hard-work. No matter what the scenario or circumstance, working smart and hard is invaluable. If we want it bad enough and we are willing to work for it, the bike teaches us that anything is possible in life.
