Some thoughts from our founder, Jeff...
Three things I pondered on my bike ride yesterday.
Patience
I hadn’t done this ride for a while. Pre-pandemic in fact. So I was feeling a bit rusty.
Which instantly translates to frustration in the form of ‘why is this taking so long?’ and ‘ why am I not as fit for this as I was in 2019?’
I had to take a deep breath and reframe this.
I wasn’t in a hurry so just let it take as long as it takes, enjoy the scenery and just focus on 5 miles at a time.
Gratitude
There’s a lot of talk about challenging self limiting beliefs and how we need to make sure everything we allow to inhabit our head is current, relevant and empowering.
It’s important to remember that there will also be positive thoughts from the past, some of which we may need reminding of, in order to reinforce rather than recalibrate.
When I was huffing and puffing up the hills I employed my usual mantra of ‘I’m not getting off to walk’.
I first remember thinking this on a bike ride when I was about 10 years old. Many years later I’ve never got off and walked. I thanked my 10-year old self for that determination and felt all the more satisfied at the top of the hills.
Trust in what you know.
It’s important to question everything. It’s what I do all week at work. Ask the questions that open up the insights that lead to new successes.
That said, there are times when you need to trust in a process that you already know works and limit the questions you ask of yourself.
For me yesterday it was a matter of keep riding, stay hydrated, take a little fuel on board every 30-40 minutes, keep your head up and say hello to all the other bike riders. This approach has worked hundreds times in the past and sure enough, it worked yesterday.
Oh and one other thing I pondered. I miss my riding buddies. I think way too much when I’m alone. 😂