I took a private cornering lesson from a mountain bike skills coach last week. That might come as a surprise to many. I’ve been a Professional Racer since 2006 so should I be teaching the session? For one, I never formally learned how to mountain bike. I know this is the case with most people. I just bought a bike and started riding it. Descending and technical riding is also a strength of mine, but working on skills never has an end point. I am always interested in getting better.
It was humbling to take a proper coaching session and learn that my technique needs a lot of work. I got really far with average technique, but learning the actual basics of how to do it properly and having to relearn (and go slower first to get faster) is both humbling and rewarding. Having a growth mindset that I can improve with effort is helpful as is accepting frustration and meeting it with self-compassion as it comes up. The evaluation of my skills by a third party is not an evaluation of who I am as a person- and I think that the evaluation piece is really scary for people. Evaluation is an opportunity to improve, not a judgment. Just like an NBA player never stops working on skills how monks are continually practicing meditation, it’s further reinforcement of one of my core principles: The Work is The Reward.
Going back to basics and rebuilding your pyramid is helpful in many places. I read and re-read parenting books to make sure I am maintaining consistency in what I’m practicing. I’m always going back and re-reading about topics like plant-based nutrition and exercise physiology.
Bottom line:
1. It’s humbling to go back to basics, but effective and important. 2. Remembering that the work is never finished and that the work IS the reward can help stay motivated.
