Taking the long view
Riding a bike 3,600 miles across America taught me a valuable lesson that I apply to my life even now.
Six years ago today, after a week-and-a-half of riding, I was excited to see an unassuming red-and-white sign on the side of the road reading “WELCOME TO PHOENIX.” This was amazing! I had covered over 300 miles from San Diego! But this also meant I had some 3,000 miles to go. How could you ever bike 3,000 miles?!?
That was the reaction I’d have if I looked at the whole thing head-on. But I couldn’t afford to, because I’d go crazy. Instead, I focused on what I COULD to: one day’s ride. I’d get up in the morning, have breakfast, and pedal some 30 to 90 miles, depending on the day, and then get some well-deserved rest. The next day, I’d do it again. After about every two days of riding, I’d take a day off to rest my legs.
With some exceptions — like taking several days off to explore a big city — this was the routine I kept up for four months. And little by little by little, adding up these individual building blocks, I made progress: I reached El Paso. I reached Houston. I reached New Orleans. I reached the border of Florida. And... you know the rest.
This past December, I began recording the audio version of this book. I figured I’d do a chapter or two a day and finish within a couple months. Then, real life stepped in. For a bunch of chapters, it turned out the audio gain of my microphone wasn’t consistent. Then I found that my voice wasn’t consistent for another few. By the time I finished the book, I realized I’d have to re-record half of it!
Not only this, but I could do only one chapter, not two, per day. Then, to rest my voice, I started taking a day off after every two days of recording. Then I slowed down to recording every other day. It felt like this project would never end!!
Now, I have only three more chapters to do, and I can see the end in sight. To be sure, I still feel impatient. (Why can’t the whole thing be done already?! I’ve spent way longer on it than expected!) But riding across the country taught me that when those thoughts come up, I should hold them a little more lightly. I need to remember to take the long view and practice patience. Just concentrate on what I can do in one day; then get rest; then go at it again. It's the only way to get to the end.
How about you? Have you had a seemingly insurmountable task that you thought you’d just never get through... and then you made it? Please share it with me on my Facebook page so I, and others, can get inspired from your wisdom. I always love learning.
