Passionate Persistence
Everyone needs a passion in their life and my 11-year
old grandson, Will Rader, loves biking. He competes in both
road and mountain biking races across the country. Last
year during a regional competition, Will navigated successfully
through a difficult switch back that caused all the other
riders either to fall or to get off their bikes and walk
through it. At the end of the race, I asked him why he was
the only one that was able to ride through that difficult
spot.
Will said that his Dad had brought him down to practice
on the course a couple of weeks before the race, and that
he kept riding through this spot on the course and falling.
He told me, “My dad said let’s go eat, you’ve
had enough for the day.” Will replied to his Dad,
“I can’t leave until I get this right, otherwise
I won’t win the race." John, Will’s dad,
waited patiently while Will practiced over and over again
until he rode through the switch back twice without falling.
I was amazed that an 11-year old could be that persistent.
It is also clear persistence pays off. Last Saturday, September
17, 2005, Will won the national championship in mountain
biking for 12-year olds and younger at the USA Cycling Championships
at Mammoth Lakes Resort in California.
Life Upgrade Coaching Questions
Do you have such a passion in your life that
you are willing to persist until you reach excellence?
Is that passion something that makes practicing and perfecting
not something that you dread doing but something you want
to do?
Have you held firmly to the dreams in your life and pursued
them without fail?
Additional Resources
USA Cycling
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