Cindy and I have been doing a lot of bicycle riding
this summer and have just loved it. We are getting great exercise, we enjoy
being outdoors, the scenery has been outstanding and we have met some really
great people along the way. The two of us have been cycling our entire lives.
Heck, we first met at college in a bicycling class! I will pause here for you
to finish laughing before I continue …
So for us, riding a bike is easy and natural and
fun. And we talk about our bike rides for days afterwards. It truly is one of
our favorite things to do. And for us, bike riding is very possible.
Just last weekend on a ride we met a man riding his
old-school bicycle on the Ghost Town Trail - way cool trail, by the way. He was
friendly and all smiles and was kind enough to greet us as he passed. We
exchanged jokes and he went on his way. Sound unusual to you? Probably not.
But, it was …
You see, the man we met that day was in his 80’s
and – get this – had an oxygen machine in the basket on the front of his bike. The dude was riding his bicycle while on
oxygen. Holy Moses! Is that really possible? He thought so. And he was
smiling and pleasant and just enjoying the heck out of the day. He made me
smile.
But
see, here’s the thing. This man could have decided
that his bike riding days were over. Who would have questioned him if he said
it was not possible to be involved in physical activity anymore? He could have
just quit. But … he didn’t. He decided that what others saw as impossible was
in fact truly possible for him. He believed he could do it and he was willing
to fail trying. What a guy!!
Believing that the impossible is possible starts
with one thing – a decision to try. And that decision gives you the right to be
successful. Without the courage to try, without the determination to go where
others think crazy, you will never know what you are truly capable of achieving.
In his recent book, “An Enemy Called Average”, John Mason writes:
“Persistent
people begin their success where most others quit. One person with commitment,
persistence and endurance will accomplish more than a thousand people with
interest alone. The more diligently we work, the harder it is to quit. Persistence is a habit – so is quitting.”
Persistence is a habit – and so is quitting. Hmmm.
Let that sink in for a moment! What side do you most frequent?
My friend on the bike at the Ghost Town Trail
obviously has embraced persistence and determination as a habit. He believes
that the uncommon is possible. And, he has made a choice to go on living
instead of giving up, even though he needs an oxygen machine to live.
No one can ever make you believe something is
impossible without your permission. Did you know that?
What
one decision would you make today, what one goal would you choose to make
possible today, if you knew you could not fail?
What would you give yourself permission to boldly try that in the past you
thought was impossible? Write it down and tell the world. Tell me, for that
matter. I would love to hear your commitment.
Winston Churchill said, “I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.”
I too am an optimist and since the day I made that shift I have seen that the
impossible is indeed possible. And by the way, I once thought writing this
newsletter was impossible…
Ya know, I think if my friend on the bike trail had
a mantra in life, it might just be: Go
ahead, dare to be amazing! What would amazing look and feel like for you
right now?
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