My Passion
It’s been quite a while since I last wrote about my great passion in life—cycling. We all have our own opinions about cyclists, but it’s important not to generalize, as every form of cycling is unique in its own special way. For me, cycling has been nothing short of a life saver, a true passion that I will probably never give up. I intend to keep cycling for as long as I physically can, even if that means seeing myself at 120 years young on a stationary bike in my cozy little living room, watching the 130th edition of the Tour de France live on TV, and pushing through every challenging mile just like the pros do. lol
The thing is, cycling played such a massive and incredibly important role in my chance of survival and recovery that even today, right here and now, If I ever felt that I no longer enjoyed the sport as much as I once did, I would still have no choice but to keep going. That's simply because it’s what worked, what saved my life, so why would I ever stop? And honestly, I do love it—the highs, the lows, the pain and suffering, the sheer elation and joy, and all the wide range of emotions that come with it. For me, cycling doesn’t just build physical fitness; it builds character and endurance for the mind as well. When I’m out there, covering mile after mile, it gives me the chance to think, reflect, and plan the next steps in life. The steady ticking of the miles, like a metronome, gives me a real sense of achievement—especially when my body feels totally depleted, when you know you still have a long way to go before rest. That’s exactly when you build true character, determination, and an unbreakable will to succeed. In these moments, the mind has to take over and push you to complete the job.
And that’s exactly my point: these two entities—your body and your mind—constantly play off against each other. One will always tell the other to stop because it has had enough—the weaker one being the body. Yet, that message is quickly sent up to the central hub, the main driving force: the mind. The mind responds with a firm, “Nope, keep going, don’t stop. You can push through.” It’s during these moments that you have to perform a mini reset in your mind—a quick plan adjustment and a refreshed focus. This mental shift allows you to recharge your determination and push towards the goal, reaching the end and completing the task at hand.
Remember, life isn’t a race to see who finishes first; instead, the true key lies in completion itself. The most important result should be finishing what you started. For most of us who challenge ourselves in one way or another, the ultimate goal is reaching completion and experiencing that deep sense of achievement and fulfillment.
Training for challenges you have set out can be incredibly tough. It's not just that your body needs the training—though of course it does—but your mind, especially the weaker parts of it, must become the true driving force behind your effort. That mental strength takes time to develop and cultivate, particularly when you're forced to dig deep within yourself. Your muscles ache, your body feels sore and uncomfortable, and every fiber in your body is screaming at you to stop. It truly takes dedicated training to condition your mind to realistically assess the situation and push forward regardless of the discomfort. For me, stopping was never an option—just like giving up or dying during my illness was never even a option. Those choices simply didn’t exist in my mindset.
Now, in the same breath, I’m not talking about physically hurting or doing damage to yourself by pushing your body beyond what its capabilities truly are—no, that’s definitely not the point. But what I am saying is that we do have to push ourselves, and sometimes it can, and often will be, uncomfortable. Training and getting fit is never easy, and it’s certainly not a quick or simple process by any means. However, it is absolutely worth it to build up that fitness bank that we so desperately need to stay healthy and continue making progress. You never know when you might have to cash out that fitness bank to help save your life in a critical moment, and that’s why pushing through the discomfort to reach your goal is so important.
Keep Going and Don’t Stop
