Cycling the mountain roads in France this past summer taught me a lot about myself and my clients who joined me in the fray and fun. And, as always, these moments seared me about life. You see, when you get tired climbing from miles and miles of 10% relentless gradients, your mind starts to go before your muscles. FACT. Simply pointing your front wheel toward the top becomes a struggle. Your eyes keep moving left to right instead of fixating forward. And, without so much as noticing, your wheel follows your eyes and ever so slightly you begin to lose your smooth line and either get closer to the inside wall or the yellow line.
Either way, energy, precious energy, is being wasted.
Keep your eyes on the road ahead, my friends. Keep the blinders on, if you will, when you get particularly distressed and on the rivets. Focus ahead. You see, you and I tend to follow our eyes. Are yours fixated ahead or staring at your problems to your right and to your left? There really is NO log across the road. Your problems, if they seem that big, are cause your minds made up – you can’t get around them. When you find yourself there, tell your brain you’re not dead yet. Pull your head up. Fix your eyes on the beauty even if it’s just the next turn up ahead. Celebrate the progress and slowly the pain and size of the adversity will shrink, at least that’ll be your perspective. Focus ahead, friend. Focus ahead. Good…
BUILT TO LEAD 
I hear you Chester! But sometimes it is nice to look left and right to take in the view. (think of Mt. Blanc!) Sometimes it is nice to celebrate the win! The celebration is not just to pat ourselves on the back but to watch the success of others.
In the context you are writing, I agree. BUT, for me, I found being patient was one of my biggest struggles. Sometimes when I struggle with something really hard I try to hurry up and get it done or over with. When I settle in to the journey and bite off small pieces at a time, relax, and I enjoy the journey more and before I know it I’ve finished.
I also agree with Tom in a totally different context in that when I was soaking in the beauty I was humbled by the immensity of it all.
MM
Thanks, Blondie & FM for your “ands.” Good sheeeeet for sure. Patience and taking in the views always helps take your mind away. Good. And, encouraging and enjoying the progress of a friend does as well. I’m thinking of those solitary moments when it’s just you and your problem and it feels all consuming. It feels like you can no longer breathe – you are truly on the rivets. These are the moments when you gotta focus on your aim, get your head up, take your mind off any and all distractions, and push on…