Survival guide
ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR ALL RIDERS
#9 Check your head
HENRY FORD ONCE said: “Whether you think you can… or whether you think you can’t… you’re right.” A good illustration of this theory is, for example, if something crappy happens at the start of your day and you’re in the wrong mood, you might hear yourself uttering internally: “It’s gonna be one of those days.” And having said, it, you’ve just set yourself up to make that happen.
Once you state your belief, you then subliminally switch on internal neurological filters to find evidence to prove it or do things (subliminally) to help make your statement come true. After all, we want to be credible – especially to ourselves. And then to top it off nicely, when you’ve made your negative prediction come true, you can announce loudly: “See, I told you so!”
What’s this got to do with motorcycling? Everything really. If you approach it with a negative mindset, chances are it will be an uphill struggle. Get your mindset right at the start and you have a much better chance of enjoying a positive, enjoyable ride.
Before you get your kit on and swing a leg over your bike, get your head in the right place and think about how well you’re going to ride. Summoning up a positive mindset will pay dividends.
So what is the right state of mind for biking? For me, it’s being calm, relaxed and decisive. Relaxed, so I’m not uptight and to help calmness. Calm, so that if anything unexpected happens while out riding I can collect all the information I need effectively to make a good decision. Decisive, because in my experience, hesitation leads to problems – especially on a motorbike.
Switch off all the other stuff in your day-to-day life. Letting the worries go should be a part of your strategy of getting your kit on. The pension, the work, the kids, love, family, cash, all can be parked before you set off – leaving your head free, the way it wants to be, the way riding helps make you feel.
Give your bike journey the full attention it deserves and make your prophecy of “I’m going to have a good run out” come true – make it happen. And then, just like good karma, having a good ride out on your motorbike can have a great positive effect of your head – a truly virtuous circle. You can think your ride better. It works.