CHECKPOINT CONFESSIONS

I’m not sure if the words are his own, but when Ronan Keating sings “life is a rollercoaster, just gotta ride it”, it certainly makes me think! There’s no question it’s a brilliant representation of life, but the way we interpret it is significantly more important than just what we see! I’m not sure exactly when it was, or what triggered it, but my attitude took a hit at some stage and I’ve been going around in circles ever since!

Each time I manage a small victory or suffer a minor setback, I’m confronted with the picture of a rollercoaster in my mind. To be perfectly fair, my rollercoaster is pretty placid and I suspect most people wouldn’t care for a taste of my up’s and down’s, but it’s been thrilling enough for me! I’ve had a turbulent few years when I think about it… The last five have gone in the blink of an eye, but I’ve discovered a lifetime of lessons. It wasn’t until a very interesting conversation with someone important, that I started to understand the problem with the “rollercoaster” that I’d come to rely on…

Now, what do we know about a rollercoaster? Well, what goes up must come down. Right! And, it always starts and finishes in the same spot… Brilliant! For someone like me who will tell you that “I like routine” and that I’m most comfortable when I can control the outcome, a rollercoaster is the perfect symbol for security. But the truth is, I’m not looking to start and finish in the same spot… And I’m forever trying to do a little bit better than I have before. I’m not obsessed with going to the moon, but I’ve got some ambitious goals that I can’t achieve if I’m always waiting for the next dip in the line!

I have questioned what I really want many times in the past and I still don’t really know the answer. Although, I did achieve something significant when I discovered that my mindset was not helping my ambitious expectations. For years I would put this mindset down to being more “mature”, but I was really using it to soften the blow each time I failed. It’s common sense to understand failure will come inevitably, but my problem is that I can become solely focused on these outcomes, which ultimately dampen the thrill of any happiness.  I suspect many of my peers share the same challenges, but unfortunately for us, knowing the solution doesn’t always mean it can be applied!

The challenge for me will be trying to salvage my former attitude (positive, confident, determined, naïve) without loosing the value of these lessons that have taught me what I understand now. I guess it’s hard to argue that life is not a rollercoaster, because we know we can’t have it all our own way. But it’s clear that dwelling on the negatives is the wrong approach, because if it weren’t I’d be retired by now! Take from this what you will, but think about what I’ve learnt and see what it can do for you! At the end of the day, it’s the dips that make it all the more fun, so don’t be afraid of climbing so high!

Mitch's News: 

Just a quick update on my knee! It's now two days after the ITB Release procedure and i'm doing very well. The doctor was really happy with how the tendon responded and believes the trouble is now behind me. After the recommended rest period, i'll be re-joining Andrew at Read Performance Training to continue my rebuild. I'm looking forward to racing again in the new year with Team Barefoot and I'm delighted to be going around again with Coach Daz and his squad in 2014. I'll be catching up with them in New Zealand early in March, before heading back to France for the European Season! I can't wait to do it on two legs this time around...

Mitch's Pictures:

Rollercoaster at Melbournes' Luna Park!

CRC Training Day with Coach Daz and the gang!