Last October, I cycled slightly over 1,500 kilometres to raise money for a cause close to my heart. While very important to me, I got a whole lot more out of this mammoth task than just the satisfaction of a donation.
The story starts in 2016, where I participated in and completed the Great Cycle Challenge for the first time. The challenge works by nominating how many kilometres you’re going to cycle throughout October. You then do your best to raise money from friends, family and colleagues to support a great cause.
Why did I do this?
The funding goes towards fighting kid’s cancer through the charity ‘Children’s Medical Research Institute‘ (CMRI). I’m pretty passionate about this cause. One of my close mates has a son who was diagnosed with bone cancer when he was just 10 years old. The treatment involved removing a large part of the cancerous bone and having it replaced with a titanium bone. Fortunately, he was able to retain his leg and is completely recovered, healthy and happy 13-year-old. Witnessing that experience and thinking about the struggle he and his family had to endure made this charity top-of-mind. If I was going to do a fundraising activity, this was probably one worth doing.
Taking the challenge to the next level
As mentioned, I first completed this ride in 2016, riding about 500 kilometres in the process. I’m a regular cyclist accustomed to riding 100-200 kilometres a week, so it wasn’t too much outside my comfort zone. When I attempted the challenge again in 2019, I wanted to set a goal that would push me. This goal would be slightly out of reach, not entirely impossible, but a distance that would make me uncomfortable.
Keep in mind that I’m a father, husband and a business owner. My business is just shy of 2 years old, so there’s a big commitment there and my other personal goals. However, I was committed to the challenge and wanted to make it something exceptional and well-worthwhile. The distance I arrived at was 1,500 kilometres. Across the thirty-one days in October, it comes to 48.4 kilometres a day – quite a task!
A look back on how the month went
Getting started on day one wasn’t too hard. A 48-kilometre ride takes me just over one and a half hours. Not too much of a bother on its own. Day two was no problem at all. I’d accumulated 100 kilometres and was on track to hit my goal distance.
Then life hit. It kicked in that this is something I’d have to do every day whether I felt like it or not. On day three, I was out on a boat with a mate and our families, who invited me back for a barbeque. I was a bit reluctant knowing I had to ride 70 kilometres later that day (as the day after was already jam-packed). I went to the barbeque but skipped the drinks and kept it short, committing to my goal for the day.
As most of us can attest to, it’s very easy to wake up some days and tell yourself you’re not working out today because you’re ‘tired’. Tired from the weekend, or maybe you had a late night at work. Making your goal public could make all the difference. I made a public commitment to ride 1,500 kilometres and to raise at least $2,000 to fight kid’s cancer. There was nowhere to hide, whether it was from donators or my conscience – I had to see it through. The lesson here is that making a public commitment is an excellent incentive for getting things done.
My three key takeaways
- Just do it. Nike got this one bang-on. A lot of the time throughout the month I didn’t feel like going for the ride, but I did it anyway. Sometimes I had a good ride, sometimes it was a crap ride, and sometimes it was a great ride. Regardless, when I’d finished, I felt fantastic.
- Motivation is overrated. It’s not around enough for you to rely on it. Motivation rarely got me on the bike. It’s the commitment that you made that gets you going each day. You don’t give yourself a choice. You have to lock-in and do it anyway. ‘I’ve worked hard today, and now I’ve got to go for a ride.’ That’s all there is to it.
- The feeling at the end is worth it. I ended up doing 1,503 kilometres and raising $2,100. I was certainly a lot fitter and healthier at the end of it as well! The proud feeling you get from completing a tough goal like this is something I’ll remember for a long time.
How does this apply to business?
I believe these takeaways are incredibly applicable to business. There’ll be countless occasions when you don’t feel like doing the work. When you’re tired, you’ve got to do it. When you’re sick, you’ve got to do it. It’s all about turning up and consistently having a go. Don’t miss a day. If you do, don’t miss another day. Sometimes I did have to take a day off riding. I was just too fatigued to put in the kilometres. But I was sure as hell back on the bike the next day.
The outcome of the ride was what truly stuck with me. 1,500kms. Achieving that number in a month was something I’d never done before. The process was simple, ride 48.4kms a day for 31 days. If I missed a session, I’d have to make it up another day. I had a clear vision and process to achieve the 1,500-kilometre outcome.
Sure, processes for succeeding in business are going to be a bit more complicated than a daily ride target. But I really do believe, processes and systems are what’s going to give you continued success in business. Being motivated is great too. But remember, without processes, you might just be a motivated idiot….
Wishing you all the best for your week in business.
