If I had told you a year ago that on this day next year I’d be sat on a state beach two weeks into a cycle down the California coastline would you have believed me?
I know some of you would. Here’s the thing, there will always be doubters. I was told I live in a dreamland of positivity. Told that life doesn’t work like that.
Tomorrow afternoon I’ll cycle into San Diego after traveling over 700 miles by myself. It’s all downhill from here would be an understatement. With almost no cycling experience how did I manage it and why did I even think I should attempt it?
When things got tough and believe me it certainly got tough this is what I told myself.
If you wrote down everything about this trip. The lack of cycling experience. The budget equipment. The less than perfect bike. The terrain profile. The excess baggage. The dangerous roads. The doubters would say, no way, no way! It’s not possible. The bikes not good enough. You won’t make it up the hills. It’s too dangerous. You’ve never done anything like this. You can’t do it Sam. What they don’t know and what the stats on paper could never show is that with an un-ending supply of passion it doesn’t matter how bad the odds are stacked against you, anything is possible. Sam Billingham is the one riding this bike. Sam Billingham is going to ride this bike up this hill and thats all there is to it. Sam Billingham is just like everyone else except for one tiny thing. Everyone has the ability but not everyone is realising it. Sam Billingham has realised it and he’s using it right now. I repeated this or something like it for as long as it took.
The part in any equation that can never be calculated on paper is the amount of passion you have. If you want something go and do it. I believe you can achieve anything. You can if you really want to. The problem is not your ability, circumstances or finances it’s you drive, tenacity and passion.
I’ve said it before and i’ll keep saying it. Gotta get that mindset.
Maybe it’s because while I was growing up I was told “you can do anything you put your mind to”. Thanks Mom and Dad. Perhaps it’s the 1000s of hours I spent reinforcing it.
If you tell yourself every morning you’re unstoppable, after two years what do you think your first thought upon waking is? Now I’ve not done this and I wouldn’t suggest you do either but how you frame yourself and your situation is critically important.
I believe if you think you’ll never have six figures in the bank, you never will. If you want to travel the world but don’t think it’s possible for you, then it’s not. Please don’t mistake me, I’m not saying you can magically believe yourself into things but if you don’t believe in possibilities you won’t see the opportunities.
Start creating. Start saying yes. Start believing. Most of all, know it’s possible. Soon you’ll see all the walls in-front of you now have doors.
