A few months ago, I made the announcement that I'd begin my adult life with a 4,000 mile bike ride to raise money for cancer, far from what people expect a business-school graduate to do right out of college, but exactly what people would expect out of me. I've since stopped receiving the question "what are you doing after school?" and started getting more of the "Oh my god... are you prepared for that?" type of inquiries. With a lighthearted chuckle, I've given everyone the same answer. "No, no I'm not."
I've had a number of people express their concerns about the trip. I won't make any money off of it. What if I don't have enough to eat? What if it causes back problems? Oh, and the awful tan lines! Or the heat exhaustion? Sleeping in strangers homes. What on earth was I thinking?
A small part of me has no clue what I was thinking, but a substantial part of me knows exactly what it was. This is an opportunity that will both challenge me and humble me - two things I look for when I'm curating and creating my future. There was no amount of training, planning, shopping, or meditating that I could do to ultimately prepare myself for the challenges I would face. That is both the burden and the beauty of this type of experience. Sure, I've spent countless hours on the stationary bike, fabricating fake hills and blowing through the most addictive Netflix series. Sure, I've passed all the policy and procedure quizzes and feel confident in my knowledge of First Aid. Sure, I've read up on cancer and how it impacts the demographic I'm so blessed to be serving. And sure, I've fundraised lots of money and purchased all my equipment. In those ways, I'm prepared, but in many ways, I'm not. And I couldn't be if I tried.
I'm not ready to be a non-athlete doing incredibly athletic things all day. I'm not ready to be physically uncomfortable when the couch I've been sitting on since graduation is as comfortable as they come. I'm not ready to struggle in front of a team of people that I want to find me capable. I'm not ready to be a beginner, to take on a lifestyle I know nothing about, or to push my body in ways I've never even considered. Each of these obstacles comes with a learning curve. Each requires a 'mind over matter' mentality. Face to face with each of the elements of my journey, I'll remember this: either I'm killing it, or it's killing me.
In my mind, I have only those two options. It will not be easy by any means, but it will get easier. With time, I'll bypass the learning curve, adopt the lifestyle, and emerge from this bike ride challenged, humbled, and impressively muscular. I'm intimidated, but not defeated. T-minus 2 days!
I've had a number of people express their concerns about the trip. I won't make any money off of it. What if I don't have enough to eat? What if it causes back problems? Oh, and the awful tan lines! Or the heat exhaustion? Sleeping in strangers homes. What on earth was I thinking?
A small part of me has no clue what I was thinking, but a substantial part of me knows exactly what it was. This is an opportunity that will both challenge me and humble me - two things I look for when I'm curating and creating my future. There was no amount of training, planning, shopping, or meditating that I could do to ultimately prepare myself for the challenges I would face. That is both the burden and the beauty of this type of experience. Sure, I've spent countless hours on the stationary bike, fabricating fake hills and blowing through the most addictive Netflix series. Sure, I've passed all the policy and procedure quizzes and feel confident in my knowledge of First Aid. Sure, I've read up on cancer and how it impacts the demographic I'm so blessed to be serving. And sure, I've fundraised lots of money and purchased all my equipment. In those ways, I'm prepared, but in many ways, I'm not. And I couldn't be if I tried.
I'm not ready to be a non-athlete doing incredibly athletic things all day. I'm not ready to be physically uncomfortable when the couch I've been sitting on since graduation is as comfortable as they come. I'm not ready to struggle in front of a team of people that I want to find me capable. I'm not ready to be a beginner, to take on a lifestyle I know nothing about, or to push my body in ways I've never even considered. Each of these obstacles comes with a learning curve. Each requires a 'mind over matter' mentality. Face to face with each of the elements of my journey, I'll remember this: either I'm killing it, or it's killing me.
In my mind, I have only those two options. It will not be easy by any means, but it will get easier. With time, I'll bypass the learning curve, adopt the lifestyle, and emerge from this bike ride challenged, humbled, and impressively muscular. I'm intimidated, but not defeated. T-minus 2 days!