What if all the training you put in was simply to become a better and more successful human rather than a faster rider? What if inevitably you became “both” because you were willing to let yourself take things one minute at a time rather than rush to the grave?

What if focusing on what you “did do” rather than what you felt you “couldn’t do” became your way of thinking and you allowed it to translate into your everyday life and dreams?

belt coach.jpg — A Shift …

Reevaluating our “why”

We all talk about our “why” and the passion that drives us to do things that are uncommon. It would be hard to find a human being, no matter their level of success, that does not look to someone else for guidance and inspiration. The initial passion and drive in a client are never the issue; everyone has a different goal, and everyone comes in hard charging. The problem that I see the most is in the rush to the podium- proverbial or real- there is a huge lack of patience when it comes to reaching goals. When this happens, the process becomes obsolete and the vision becomes blurred- in-turn, discouragement becomes heavy and sits front and center as the focus. The way that we have trained our brains to think often chips away at the love we have for the sport. It always breaks my heart when I witness this, but it also opens an opportunity for influence- enter Liz Belt and her tragic way of trying to make a point! It is possible to find balance and success by slowing down and being in the moment.

I have worn many different hats in the fitness industry over the years but in my current position, I have had the unique opportunity to witness the psychological affect of how this pandemic has taken a toll on athletes, both amateur and pro. From “I’m not training because there is nothing to train for,” to “I’m going to work my ass off no matter what because one of these events may still go off,” and everything in between. There have been times where I have felt discouraged by this and then there have been times that I felt inspired: “How can I influence a change of heart?” “How can I inspire personal growth in a different way?” “Does everyone in here understand that life is NOT measured in watts?”

After the initial shutdown I had a lot of time to think about how training should look going forward without the regular events that so many look forward to. On day 1 when we gathered back up in small groups, I challenged every single person who sat in one of my seats to take a step back- take advantage of the unknown and focus on fundamentals and weaknesses. We had the rare opportunity to hit the brakes- refocus- regroup. “You know that cadence issue you have? We’ve got time to work on it!” We finally had an opportunity to shift our thought process and consider how we take on our training.

Needless to say, it has been eye-opening and educational to watch each person at Intrepid take off in their own direction- find their own silver lining. There is no doubt that if you want to get better then you must put the work in- you must be willing to go to a place that many are not willing to go- but this can all be done in a manner that does not leave you feeling defeated. With a different outlook, failure can easily be turned into perseverance. I can say from personal experience that perseverance has opened more doors for me in this life than anything else.

I’m not here to say I have all the answers, but my experience has guided me to one truth: if you slow down and think about things differently, you will find that success shows up in more places than just the bike. You have got to be willing to courageously look at things differently and measure your success by every inch of growth that you make – not the inches that the world thinks you should make.

Take the time this week to look in the mirror and ask yourself one question: Is blindly putting in the hard ass work less scary than attempting to shift my train of thought?

I think we all know the answer.

Pedal on friends, there is a giant world waiting to be adventured right out your front door!

Shifting Your Mind-Set Before Shifting Your Gears- Coaches Insight