I have (very) recently taken up cycling in an attempt to join some friends in a bike race for charity. I hadn't even owned a bike in over 20 years and other than “knowing how to ride a bike”, I am a complete Newbie! Beginner. Novice.
But it's been an amazing experience. It has been truly mind-opening to learn something from, essentially, square one. It's taught me a lot about learning how to learn and improving, in general.
Recently I read an article on 'Handling Technique: How to Corner on Your Road Bike' (I told you I was a newbie!)
The concept sounds simple, but imagine high speeds, (who am I kidding?) sharp turns and skinny wheels. The first couple of rides I found myself going really wide in turns, with my momentum wanting to go straight when the path wasn't, forcing me to hit the brakes pretty hard. Not smooth, to say the least…
One section of the article I found really interesting was under the heading “Look Out When Cornering" which included the following passage:
“Your eyes are your biggest allies when cornering...your body, and subsequently bike, will naturally pull towards the point your eyes are focused on.”
As basic as that sounds, it was a huge help and it was remarkable how everything just followed and aligned with my focus point.
As I experienced the almost surreal feeling of my body subconsciously following my eyes, it struck me as a metaphor for our journey towards our maximum potential.
We are cornering all the time!!
The Path to Mastery is not straight; there are treacherous twists and countless curves.
The key to navigating those turns however, is not to focus on the turn itself.
Instead, look out.
Keep your focus on where you want to go.
Everything else will follow.
RSS Feed