man, this thread blew up!
i read this and it really resonated as i feel the same way.
Originally Posted by
gsteinb
...This is a lifestyle to me. I enjoy my lifestyle. For me exercise is just an extension of the rest of my practice. Racing as well. I'm racing against myself out there. ...
gsteinb touches on the fact that for
some people, stating goals implies that they are dissatisfied with who or where they are now. i agree that is true for
some people. my hope is that anyone who posted a goal in this thread was doing so for the betterment of himself, perhaps to create some accountability for when times are tough. sometimes reading others' goals (especially outlandish ones) can inspire us to do more in our own lives.
i think it is entirely possible to have aspirational goals and to still be happy in the moment. being content need not mean complacent.
we each find something in the sport (/hobby) that we want or need in our life. few of us will race a bike
as our job, so we better find something in it that is meaningful at a deeper level. i assume that most folks who find them here have done just that, at some level. the beauty is that what one person takes out of it may not be what another takes out of it, and yet both people can get what they need and leave satisfied. it's not zero-sum.
it's also really easy to read some posts by people on this or any forum and draw conclusions about the rest of their lives. it's not hard to invent obsessions that may not exist in reality. it shouldn't be the case but it is harder to assume most of us walk away from the computer after posting and get on with the rest of life, like work, family, friends, and the universe of
other non-biking interests (is that possible!?!).