Do you have your priorities right?
Remember a time when you did things because they were fun?
As we 'grow up' we choose things for financial reasons and the things we do for fun become a lower priority. This image is of the Murray Bridge Pedal Prix, taken at 6am after 18 hours of racing in the Australian Human Powered Vehicle Super Series run by Australian International Pedal Prix
Kids and adults pedal enclosed recumbent bikes or 'trikes' (lightweight racing machines with carbon fibre shells) for 24 hours in relay teams.
Driving one of these high performance machines is awesome. It's exhausting and exciting weaving in and out of traffic and trying not to roll over (it happens a lot). It requires teamwork, skills, training, maintenance, planning, nutrition and builds camaraderie within and amongst teams. Take a look inside a high performance trike and the set up.
This sport is very cool but there's something that's sad about it. It's not a professional sport, so some parents won't permit their kids to participate as they can't go onto a career in it.
How freakin sad is that? What happened to building life skills and exploring new experiences while having fun? As we age, how many of us have lost our way, choosing financial security over living our best life. I catch myself instilling the capitalist mantra of 'get a good, high paying job and set yourself up for life' with my kids.
But really, what do you remember in life? Is it experiences, or possessions that you gain the most satisfaction from? How much do the things you love cost?
Pedal Prix is exciting, it's healthy, it's competitive, requires multiple skill sets and is raced as a team. If you get a chance to try it, do it. You will however have to prioritise it over something else.
LIFE TIP: Find things in your life that you do for joy, not money and not because you have to.
Do this simple exercise, write on a piece of paper all the things that bring you true joy (not the stuff you think you should enjoy, but the stuff that makes you go 'YEAH'). Write them down then circle the ones you do regularly. Most men over 40 struggle to identify five and likely only circle one or two. Do this exercise to take stock on whether you're living your best life.
When you lie on your death bed (and you will), what will you recall with a smile? Your bank balance? All the days you worked late to satisfy your company? The sacrifices you made for your financial security?
Get balance in your life. Get your smile back. Find what makes you happy again. Do more of that.
NOTE: This is not a call out to resign or quit your job or even embrace the 'Quit Quietly' concept, it's just a reminder. You have one life, get some balance in it, find more YEAH moments in each and every day or week. Schedule them in as they are the most important things for living your best life.
You've got this.
Check out this video by the GTrikes team, just in case you prioritise some time for healthy fun. If you're interested we'd love to put together a Wellteam Racing Team...just for fun of course, we wouldn't try to win...too often!
Related Tags
Share