April 29, 2024

In today's fast-paced small screen age, where self-given titles and expertise abound across every domain, imposter syndrome has emerged as a silent antagonist. Amidst a landscape teeming with high tech bicycles in diverse disciplines, the pressure to measure up and excel can often fuel feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. Imposter syndrome, a psychological phenomenon where individuals doubt their abilities and fear being exposed as frauds despite evidence of their competence and abilities, has become a challenge in navigating modern life's multifaceted demands and expectations.

I've been there. You show up to the group ride and you see some heavy hitters on the good stuff. Carbon everything, ripped legs, and a look of speed. The ride starts and after a few miles the muscle moves to the front and puts down the pain on everyone. Hiding in the draft and hoping not to get dropped you wonder to yourself, "Why I am putting myself through this pain, again?" As the pace heats up you're at your limit and now you can feel the stretch of the imaginary elastic that is holding you to the group, soon the elastic breaks and just like that you're off the back and riding solo, or with others that couldn't hang on. Is this a defeat? Well, it depends on many things. Let's get into it.

Fast guys and gals are fast, period. Many of us with greying hair, or no hair, used to be fast. It's all part of the game. We used to dish the pain, now we are receivers. Age surely has a lot to do with it, and to a large degree, natural ability as well. Training protocols and dedication to the sport are also huge factors. Now, here's the rub; it doesn't matter what you ride, what matters is you are there, in the group, hammering as hard as you can until you can't. Simple stuff really. When I say it doesn't matter what you ride I mean you don't need to have a 5 figure race machine to join the group, what this does mean is you can ride a decently spec'd bike and still hang in there and have fun. So where does this imposter syndrome rear it's ugly head? Between your ears. The tool (bike) you use is not what really matters. The bike you have will get you where you want to go. If you have deep dish carbon wheels that cost more than a down payment on a car that's fine. If you can afford that and you enjoy nice things by all means go for it. But, don't let yourself down when you get out on the ride and realize you're not going pro fast because you have pro wheels. It's 100% ok to ride high quality top of the line gear and not be a pro. People like shiny things, it's part of us. When you swing a leg over a finely tuned bike, click in your pedal, and push off for a ride you'll feel your problems slip away and nothing else matters except a safe ride and good time.

Amateurs in all disciplines of life, graphic designers, managers, etc. may feel inadequate because the didn't follow the path of the ‘professionals' in their chosen field and that makes them feel perhaps like a bit of a fraud, in spite of having experience and talent that works for them. There are so many cool bikes and fancy parts that are highly desirable and if you can swing it by all means go for it, but if you can't afford that high end stuff just ride what you have. Your experience is all that matters. Set aside any feelings of being unworthy because you can't push an expensive bike to it's full potential like a pro, it simply does not matter. Ride the bike to the best of your ability. That's all you can do.

I'll leave you with this great piece of advice from Marcus Aurelius, written almost 2,000 years ago. "If you are pained by any external thing, it is not this thing that disturbs you, but your own judgment about it. And it is in your power to wipe out this judgment now."

Peace,
Paul

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