What I have learned about Life and Leadership through Cycling:

There are only two type of people who cycle (or ride a bike): Those that have fallen and those that will. 

·      Don’t allow the fear of failure to prevent you from achieving your goals. 

·      How many times did Thomas Edison and the Wright brothers fail before succeeding?

Don’t watch the hazards on the road or trail – if you do, you are certain to hit them.

·      It’s important to be aware of these hazards but stay focused on where you want to go. 

Momentum is incredibly important in all of our endeavors.

·      It’s momentum that keeps us going when we are coming off a big hill, working to cross an obstacle, or when we become fatigued. 

No matter how fit or talented you might be there are others who will be better than you.

·      Don’t compare yourself with others: compare your efforts against your potential. 

·      Allow those who are stronger to inspire you. Show them your admiration and be a resource for those who may be less capable and experienced than yourself. 

Structured training plans do more to improve performance than just going out for a ride without a plan and objective in mind. 

·      This is true in almost every aspect of life. Make a plan with outcomes in mind, set targets, evaluate your efforts and hold yourself accountable. 

·      CONSISTANCY MATTERS

Cycling isn’t just about fitness: it requires nutrition, hydration, economy, and recovery. 

·      We all need these across all components of our life.  

It’s much faster and more efficient to ride with a group than go it alone. 

·      Absolutely critical with any aspect of our lives – humans are meant to function in a  herd. 

·      We all bring special talents to the team. Diversity in talents, skills, and thought. 

·      There are always times when a team mate might be struggling – It is always good to have others able to pull or push them along. 

You have to be able to push yourself before you can push others. 

Leadership isn’t always about being out front. There are times when leaders need to loosen their grip to allow others their turn. 

·      It’s critical to allow direct reports the opportunity to stretch and grow in order to build their confidence and experience.  

·      This builds trust and respect through the entire team. 

When the conditions are dangerous, risky, or in time of crisis, the leader needs to be out front setting a pace the team can maintain, and to point out potential hazards for the rest of their team members to avoid. 

·      Leadership is risky business.