How Mountain Biking Makes Me Better At My Job

Author: Dustin Crossland

01-18-2023

You Can Find Me On The Trails

Mountain biking wasn’t always a part of my life. Sometime in college, I got the urge to take a bike on some nearby trails, and I fell in love with the coalescence of adrenaline and the peacefulness of the nature I was riding in. It wasn’t until my post-college life that I was really able to dig in as a mountain biker, and it wasn’t until the last year or so that I would actually consider myself good at it. Nonetheless, it’s become a huge part of my life, taking up more of my time than nearly anything else - second only to my career.

Overcoming Fear

You’re standing on the edge of a 6-foot drop, peering down at the landing, knowing full well that a miscalculation can very easily land you in the hospital. You know you can do it because you’ve practiced enough, and you have acquired the skillset, but do you actually ride off of the edge and take the chance that you’re wrong? I found myself in this exact same spot over the weekend as I sought to graduate from 4-foot drops to feeling comfortable on 6-foot drops.

Taking on a new project, leading a new team, or being promoted can feel like standing on the edge of that drop. You know you’re capable, but it’s new territory. Do you take the chance or do you recede back to your comfort zone? Of course, the rational answer is that you go full speed ahead and force yourself to expand your comfort zone, allowing you to do more and ultimately get more out of your career. The real challenge is getting over the emotional and/or mental hurdle. The “What if I fail?” and “What if I’m wrong about the skills I have?” questions can eat away at your ability to take life by the horns and go for it.

Luckily, I do something that scares me on my bike at least once a week, so I feel pretty prepared for pushing through any fears to just “send it”. I rode off the edge of that drop. I landed it. The landing wasn’t perfect, but I stayed on the bike, and there were zero hospitals involved.

Mental Endurance

I can’t even count the number of times I have ridden into a trail system much further than I should have. My legs are sore, maybe even cramping, and I still have a 10-mile ride back to my car. So what now? Well, if I don’t want to spend the night sleeping on a bare forest floor, it looks like I’m riding another 10 miles regardless of how I feel. Mentally pushing through that kind of ride mentally prepares you for other challenges that may feel beyond your endurance level. You learn to press on and do what has to be done because that’s just the reality of the situation, and how you feel about it doesn’t make the 10 miles any shorter.

Knowing My Limitations

While I rode over the edge of that 6-foot drop, I certainly won’t be riding over the edge of a 10-foot drop tomorrow. Attempting to ride outside of your skill level can have very real, very painful consequences when you’re mountain biking, so you have to know where your boundaries are if you want to stay in one piece. The same goes for your career. Sometimes you have to say no or admit that you need to ask for help.

Not only does understanding your limitations and boundaries keep you from making irreparable mistakes, but it also allows you to grow in a way that your knowledge and skillset can consistently compound as you eventually grow into being able to conquer those bigger, scarier challenges. Much like the stock market, you should manage risk. You don’t want to try to rush it and lose everything on a meme stock. You’re better off learning at a pace that makes sense for you, so you can compound your growth over time.

Meeting New People

Most people outside of the mountain biking culture don’t know that mountain biking attracts a lot of affluent people. There are people buying bikes that cost more than a used car. A lot of mountain bikers are well-established in their careers, and they are great people to know from a networking standpoint. You also already have something in common with them if you meet them on the trail. Also, mountain bikers are a diverse group that enjoys traveling! I’ve met people from Europe, Canada, and various US states out on the trail, so you can run into opportunities from all over the world by just striking up a conversation with someone.

Find Your Version Of Mountain Biking

Even if you aren’t interested in getting on a bike and riding into the forest, find something that you enjoy that allows you to overcome fears, understand your limitations, build mental endurance, and meet new people. Doing so has benefits far outside the confines of your hobby, as the skills are easily transferable to your career or personal life.