I realized a few days ago that every business problem/solution has a cycling analogy. For a guy who rides the line between the business world and the cycling world on a daily basis, that’s the sort of thing that can come in pretty handy. (And since the Tour De France is on right now, the whole concept is very a propos.)
If at first you don’t follow the whole cycling thing, hang on for a few paragraphs. There’s a point to this and it actually has nothing to do with the world of riding bikes.
Okay, so about bout a year ago, I finally snatched a little cycling goal that had been nagging at me for a while: After months of flirting with 50mph (48.5, 49, 49.5, 48, 49.5, 49, etc.), I finally hit that magic 50mph mark coming down Paris Mountain. (Paris Mountain is a popular little mountain near Greenville, SC with steep roads and plenty of treacherous switchbacks that keeps cyclists entertained but makes it hard to actually hit high speeds without launching off the side of the mountain like Evel Knievel.)
Anyway, as it turns out, to hit 50mph on that steep and twisty little stretch of road, you kind of have to commit. Especially if you only weight 165 odd pounds: My bike and I aren’t heavy enough to let gravity and momentum do the work. You have to tuck in, pedal fast, and carve your way in and out of each turn with razor-like precision. You have to be fully committed to this, or it won’t happen.
You have to make sure you don’t eat dirt by doing something stupid, like taking your eyes off the road for a second, or glancing down at your watch, or hitting a pothole. Those things would all be bad.
You have to be focused. Relaxed. Confident. You have to be in the moment, not 90%, not 98%, not even 99.9%, but 100%.
So anyway, about a year ago, on that fateful day when I finally broke 50 miles per hour, something happened: Moments before taking the plunge down the final and steepest section of the mountain for my personal land speed record, I almost bit it. Hard. I hit my brakes a little too late and a little too hard going into a tricky turn. I got distracted: I was too busy adjusting my sunglasses to truly commit to the turn and got myself into trouble. At 40mph, I squeezed my front brake a bit too hard, and felt my rear wheel come off the ground. I started to go over the handlebars.
In cycling terms, this is the start of what is called an endo. (endo: end over.)
The endo is part one of what some folks affectionately call a “superman.”
A Superman is simply a rider flying through the air head first… like Superman. Minus the cape and the unbreakable bones.
The part that usually follows a Superman is the landing. The crash landing. This is the part you want to avoid at all cost. This is the part that hurts a lot. It usually comes with serious injuries, like broken bones and road rash. If you’re lucky.
Making my rear wheel go airborne into a narrow 180 degree switchback turn at 40mph on an 16lb bicycle with 23mm wide tires, that is what you call an “oh shit” moment. Yes it is.
Fortunately, I haven’t used up my nine lives yet: I made a smooth and miraculous recovery. I rode my front wheel like a circus monkey long enough to shift my weight back, managed to keep my bike steady, got my rear wheel smoothly back on the pavement, and made the turn without even crossing over the double yellow line.
I committed to the recovery. I didn’t allow myself to think of anything else. I threw every bit of skill, balance, dexterity, calmness and agility into not crashing, and it worked. Had I made the error to dwell on the thought of a crash, had I wasted even 0.1% of my brain power on bracing myself for impact, I probably would have crashed.
Several minutes later during my acceleration down the steep portion of the mountain, had I wasted any brain power thinking about anything but hitting 50mph, I wouldn’t have broken 49.5mph.
Why am I telling you all of this? (Other than wanting to share my joy of being alive with everyone?) Because although cycling is fairly irrelevant to the topics covered in this blog, the concept of committing to something, of giving something your all is very relevant.
So my little bit of advice for this fine Monday is this: Commit. Your project. Your job. Your relationship. Your race. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well… and if it’s worth doing well, it’s worth doing exceptionally well.
Yeah, it might hurt and it might require a certain measure of sacrifice. Time. Pride. Fun. Sweat. Sleep. But that’s a choice you make.
The choice is to either commit, or… not. And I don’t mean just commit yourself to the effort. I also mean commit 100% to the outcome: If you give yourself the option to fail, if you give yourself odds of succeeding, you are already finding excuses or reasons to fail. Don’t. Commit to the only possible outcome: Success. If you don’t, you open up the door to alternatives, and they are never good.
If you aren’t willing and ready to commit, you might as well save yourself and your client the trouble and… stay home. Be honest with yourself and those around you. If your heart isn’t really in it, if you aren’t willing to hit the ball or turn the cranks like the pro you are, then maybe you ought to sit this one out.
Committing to something isn’t just about hard work, but also smarts, guts, and willpower. It’s about throwing yourself into the game body, mind, sould and all. Even if it’s for two hours a day, or five minutes every hour, that’s what it takes to do something exceptionally well. If you aren’t motivated to give it your all, then do yourself a favor and work on something else. Seriously. Turn it down. Delegate. Wait until your head gets clear and you can put your heart into it.
If you can’t turn it down, if your boss or client forces you to work on something you would rather not spend any time on, then take a breather. Go clear your head. Find that one thing in the project or task that you know you can throw yourself at wholeheartedly, and focus on that.
Don’t ever, ever, ever do anything half-assed. Ever.
Unless you like looking back on a completed project or campaign or achievement and wishing you had given it a little bit more effort. A little bit more heart. A little bit more juice.
Commitment is fun and painful and hard all at the same time… And that’s the way it should be.
Nothing worthwhile is ever easy to come by.
So make every word count. Every stroke of the mouse. Every release of the shutter. Every turn of the crank. Every interaction with a customer. Every design feature. Every promotional coupon. Every TV spot. Every meeting. Every element of your web page design. Every media purchase. Every tweet. Every conversation or handshake with a customer. Every minute. Every second. Every breath.
It all adds up in the end.
It all pays off.
As long as you give it your all.
Just get it done.
Have a great Monday, everyone. 
OK, I’m pumped up now. No slacking today!
What the heck kinda bike you ride that only weights 16 lbs.?
Specialized Tarmac Pro. It’s been a little tricked out.
Great visuals, Olivier. My dad’s been a rider his whole life…your story and the things dad has taught me about cycling weave together to convey your point in vivid color.
My friend Lisa Hoffmann shared a book with me about being stuck in ambivalence. It’s amazing how ambivalence can cripple you, often without you realizing it. It’s even more amazing how committing can clarify the road ahead.
Well written!
Are you sure commitment is always about 100% effort? That could be a recipe for exhaustion, and there can be situations where effort is destructive.
I play a lot of orchestral concerts. There, getting through a good performance is very much about managing your mental energy in order to stay focused until the last note of the last piece has been played. I think a key skill in that situation is learning to maintain a relaxed focus on the task in hand. You don’t use effort on making yourself focus or on ‘trying harder’, but simply refuse to listen to any irrelevant thoughts. For example, counting a rest takes little effort, but is easily sabotaged if your mind wanders. And the aim of practising in advance is to achieve effortless playing during the concert.
So although I like the point about not being distracted, I feel that in many contexts commitment which requires huge effort has gone wrong somewhere. I think commitment is an attitude, within which other aspects gently fall into place. If a task is exhausting, maybe it’s being done the wrong way.
Not effort as in physical effort (unless you’re sprinting). THE effort. ;D
Sorry if that wasn’t clear.
“The choice is to either commit, or… not. And I don’t mean just commit yourself to the effort. I also mean commit 100% to the outcome.” Effort here isn’t necessarily physical effort. The outcome determines how to manage the effort.
What you’re talking about with the music is this: “You have to be focused. Relaxed. Confident. You have to be in the moment, not 90%, not 98%, not even 99.9%, but 100%.”
I so appreciate this post and believe every word. BUT, whether from general lameness as a person or what, I don’t know, but I sometimes find myself holding back that 10-15% of full commitment that is required to achieve what I want to. I genuinely *want* something, but don’t get there because I don’t 100% commit, so sometimes I just flounder around with a goal in mind for years that I never cross the finish line with. Maybe due to second-guessing or lingering doubts? I am not sure, but if you have the secret to overcoming this pesky annoying personality trait or weakness or whatever it is, I’d be eternally grateful!
I agree with Amy – this is one of those posts that pumps you up and makes you feel you can accomplish just about anything.
I’m as guilty of doing this as anyone. It’s just how we’re wired. You can’t be “on” all the time. But you can choose your battles. It’s kind of like racing: You’re going to have your “A” races (the ones that really matter) and your “B” races (the ones that matter but aren’t necessarily the ones you commit 100% to, for any number of reasons.
There’s an element of prioritizing that the post doesn’t talk about. If you committed to everything 100% (sleeping, having fun, working out, kicking ass at work,) you would burn yourself out.
This is like a walking Just Do It ad – thanks!
Sweet!!! Hear that, Nike?
Thank. You. What a great inspirational post for a Monday morning. If we ever feel the sense of doubt or lack of focus, this is a post people should read.
Thanks, man. I actually look forward to Mondays, but I know lots of people don’t.
A Yoda message, “Commit or don’t, one you will choose”. Or, “Do or Do not, there is no other choice”.
And that’s how I broke my shoulder, the guy was on a break away and I new I could catch him, so I committed to the feat. After catching him and getting the ball away I clipped his back foot…and down I went. I am very competitive and don’t know how to just do half way, it’s play hard or don’t. I choose to play hard and fight the good fight, I hope you do to.
Great parable, thanks Olivier.
Dude, your broken shoulder is a testament (albeit unfortunate) to giving it your all. I bow to you, sir.
“Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda
Word. Very timely.
Appreciate it.
Thanks, Brian. I appreciate the kind words.
Great post! Best wishes with your cycling!
Susie
Amen brother. That was a great analogy, and mission statement. Keep up the great work. Love the Blog.
Great post! Thank you – needed it this morning. Feeling rather half-assed, myself.
Play to win.
Don’t always play to win. Just play to rock. Winning can be distracting. Even counterproductive, at times.
It’s not the game, it’s how you play the game.
It depends on your goal, I suppose. Whatever your goal, commit to it fully or go home.
Having once flirted with 40 mph on a downhill straight, and finding the aforementioned stretch of road difficult to navigate on foot, I find your accomplishment personally difficult to conceive and likely impossible to execute. But it is an excellent example of total commitment.
Kris, in her comment (and you in your response) alluded to an interesting dimension of peak performance. It’s being in the moment, or in “the zone.” It’s where conscious management ends and instinct, informed by total mental clarity, takes over. Athletes strive to gain the zone, and the best find themselves there with greater frequency. But it’s not something that can be switched on at will. It might take you another twenty runs down the mountain before it all comes together and you’re able to hit 50 mph again.
I believe the same holds true for our personal and professional lives. We can never totally control the circumstances under which which our very best work is produced. We can, however, through preparation and commitment, create a receptive environment for peak performance and make those circumstances more likely.
Perfect Monday post. Thanks.
Getting in the zone takes practice. In competition and with work, I can pretty much get there anytime I want now. The biggest thing is to just let go and know you can do it. I am only limited by my talent and brain power now. (I could commit to discovering an endless supply of free clean energy, but if I don’t have the right equipment inside my head, I can only get so far.) ;D
You’re absolutely right though: “We can never totally control the circumstances under which which our very best work is produced. We can, however, through preparation and commitment, create a receptive environment for peak performance and make those circumstances more likely.” Very wise words, Bill. I like that a lot. It’s very true.
Sweet post Olivier,
Your analogy of being totally in the moment reminds me of a similar story from Jonah Lehrer’s brilliant “How we Decide.”
Lehrer discusses the story of how the firefighter “escape fire” was invented under the threat of death by a smokejumper named Wag Dodge, in Montana back in the day.
When you take your eye off the ball, even a little bit, your mind becomes preoccupied with the wrong things. In a situation where the consequences are so dire, you have to realize that panic has exhausted its utility. It’s only by being truly calm, rational and in the moment can we make the best choices.
Thanks for the jolt of inspiration
That’s pretty astute. I love that. Thank you for sharing.
Excellent post, especially on the 40th anniversary of the moon landing. Kinda hard to hedge and be anything less than 100% committed when you’re blasting off into space.
“Commit or go home.” That’ll stick with me all week. Thanks.
After reading this, I immediately sat down and wrote a customer manifesto for our business.
I won’t share all of it; if you care it’s posted here.
But I think my favorite idea was the last one I came up with:
“Never forget that I, the customer, chose you, not the other way around. Unless you actually believe that your business is better served by me spending my money elsewhere, don’t ever treat that decision lightly. Even in a small way, I’ve invested a level of trust simply by walking through your doors or calling you on the phone. Betraying that trust isn’t just ‘business,’ it’s personal.”
Great post, Olivier, got me thinking.
Steve, this is the kind of stuff that makes me beam with pride. You just made my day.
Wow! Incredible post.
I have to say though, I would have liked to see it end after your death-defying stunt on the bike, with a simple one liner tying it into business rather than the lengthy clarification. I understand why you did the details, you wanted the thought to come full circle. But, I think that most of us got the connection about the moment you explained the superman. And were right there with you through the end.
But of course, that’s just me.
Thank you very much.
Yeah, I could keep these posts short, but then many of my readers would worry and send me emails asking me why my posts aren’t insanely long anymore. They would speculate about my health, my mental state, my love life… It would turn into an internet-wide malaise of uncertainty about my well-being, and since I don’t want to be responsible for that, I keep writing tomes on a quasi-daily basis.
Feel free to speed-read my posts or skip to the end though. I don’t mind.
This is great, and timely, advice for me. I am working on a project that I am very passionate about, however, I’ve allowed life and laziness to get in the way of acheiving my goals. I need to re-commit myself to keeping my project on track.
Your post is just what the doctor ordered!
Great to hear! Sometimes, laziness is just your brain telling you to take a break.
Passion can lead to burnout. Pace yourself and have fun.
Thanks for the inspiration. As a recreational cyclist myself, I too have learned that it’s the commitment that gets you there. It’s a lot easier getting out on the road on a regular basis when you have a group of riders. But to go it alone, to hop on that saddle for a 2-3 hour ride every other day is a challenge.
But once I find that rhythm, the cadence and the sound of all the parts working together, I feel the power of the commitment.
I need to apply this same effort to my blog. If I can just find that same rhythm, it will be worth the effort.
[...] From Olivier Blanchard over at The Brand Builder Blog: Either commit or stay home. [...]
Olivier Blanchard this is the perfect thought for life and as a fan of the Tour de France (search #TDF on Twitter to see others who are) this is perfect timing.
Thanks,
Edward Philipp
http://www.Twitter.com/EdLovesSumo