Wind Against the Machine
Sometimes the universe hands you a perfect metaphor. Like finding yourself in the California desert with a struggling cyclist, surrounded by giant turbines designed to work with wind from every direction... except the one you need.
Charlotte was having her toughest day on the bike. After five days of riding for pediatric cancer research, she was ready to quit. When she tried loading her bike on the support vehicle, something made me stop her.
"Charlotte, you need to pedal this all the way out. You have to do this for yourself."
The next 40 miles were a masterclass in resistance. Every pedal stroke seemed to fight against not just the wind, but against a year's worth of accumulated grief and loss. Her body had become a perfect expression of her spirit — rigid, trudging, resistant.
Here's what fascinated me: The more she tried to power through, the harder it got. Like those massive turbines, she was positioned against the wind rather than working with it.
Most of us do this. When we hit resistance, we instinctively harden up. Push harder. Fight through. But just like in cycling, forcing rarely works. What works is finding the right position, the right rhythm, the right gear.
Charlotte finished that day - the last rider in, exhausted but somehow lighter. Years later, she told me what she learned: "I'm so much stronger than I think I am, but I can't always do it alone. People want to help me get there... I need to let them in."
That's the thing about wind — it's not always working against you. Sometimes it's just waiting for you to change your position.
Great job, Charlotte!
Onward,
Bryan
Transitions and change are ultra-endurance emotional journeys. And, that kind of travel takes strong mental muscles. Let me help you build unstoppable mental muscles for your own journey. Learn More.