mdilthey

Om
Lokah
Samastah
Sukinho
Bhavantu

Means something along the lines of "everyone be at peace" but it's a bit more complicated than that. I don't do yoga and I'm not a buddhist, but I've known a few, and one wrote that down on an index card for me about two years ago. I've been repeating it since.

Also, "cool your jets, Max!"

linnefaulk

"I love to swiiimmmmmmm!"

Miles2go

No. There's usually something to smile about but on the really tough days I simply keep the wheels turning, if that's what I need or want to do.

kaptainkano

I have one. I picked it up when I was getting fitted for my Surly, “knees in”. Because when I am pedaling my knees have a tendency to drift out. So whenever I am riding against a strong wind or going up steep hill. “knees in” remainds me to tighten up my form.

RollCNY

"Slow pace beats no pace."

shipwreck

I don't have any inspirational soundbites that work for me. I would rather keep myself distracted or entertained than fooled.

When I start to get tired, and its a long hill, I count pedal strokes. Unlike rowan I keep it up all the way to the top, or till I get distracted by something, then spend a few minutes trying to remember where I was and how many counts I missed.

Otherwise I recite skits from monty python or sing tunes from Spike Jones and the Wacky Wakakians. There have been a couple times that some farmer or other has heard somebody singing either "SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM", complete with the menu options, or "Barney Google, and his goo goo googley eyes."
Probably have single handedly set the bicycle tourist image back decades in some counties.

johntrev

On challenging days of my cross country ride, I would tell myself to just get on my bike and sit there - it didn't matter how fast I went or how hard I pushed. After an hour I'd find myself 10 or 12 miles down the road, that much closer to my goal.

tonytwotimes

I used a couple mantra's/thought patterns on my most recent tour. I found I was happiest when I didn't have to motivate myself to get to point B so a mantra was born out of that "Prepare for everything. Expect nothing." Which means be willing to stop on the side of the road and pitch a tent if you have to, have a plan B, have sufficient food, water, a dry change of clothes and basic means so that you can get by no matter what mother nature, the roads, your bike or other variables throw at you. When I expect to get to a certain place by the end of the day I get stuck in a future oriented mindset, stop enjoying the present and become frustrated when obstacles present themselves from me getting to my goal.

When doing hills I used a couple different things

1) If I committed to a kilometer I would finish that kilometer (checking bike computer occasionally to see when ive reached). No breaks until then
2) Counting inhales/exhales. Similar to kilometer. Find how many measured breathes make up an average kilometer at the grade you are working at then when reach 225 or whatever, check computer and voila!

Brennan

One thing that motivates me in difficult physical undertakings is something I remembered from a documentary called "Touching the Void." It's a good movie, and I recommend it, so I'll try not to give too much away. But basically, a mountaineer, alone with a severely broken leg, was trying to get himself down from high up a mountain. After considering his inability to walk, the excruciating pain he felt, the distance he had to cover, and the difficult terrain he was on, the thought of it all was just too daunting. So instead, he set small goals for himself. For example, he'd think, "My goal is to make it to that rock up ahead within 15 minutes." If he achieved his goal, he would feel a sense of accomplishment, and the little boost would keep him going. Obviously, I have never endured anything nearly this challenging, but the concept works just the same in less dire situations. It has gotten me through some tough slogs, and not just on a bike.

3speed

I actually go with Dory's "just keep swimming..." as mentioned before, or strangely, sometimes I'll encourage myself in a hick southern accent. I don't know why, but the silliness of it lightens my spirits, and lightened spirits can go a long way. *said phonetically* "*** Own, Boy! You know you got dis! You just keep own ridin'!" sort of stuff. Makes me smile and push on every time.

Rowan

Power poles, driveways and corners in the road.

Belfrager

I count pedaling until four, twice, in several languages. Um, dois, tręs, quatro, Um, dois, tręs, quatro, One, two, three, four, One, two, three, four, Un, deux, trois, quatre, Un, deux, trois, quatre...
Besides helping me maintaining cadence it's also slightly hypnotic... For mysterious reasons, One has to be always at the left pedal, if not it doesn't work...

Sharpshin

Mine is "Speed is irrelevant, as long as that front wheel is turning you'll get there."

mev

Not quite a mantra, but more a recollection I bring back and laugh at myself "good thing I like this touring, otherwise this might be unpleasant".

I think back quite a few years on a trip cycling in college. For some strange reason I'd gotten up at first light (4:30am) and was on the road not long thereafter. It was raining, hard. A few hours later, I was at bottom of a hill, soaked and in the rain. Somehow I found that rather amusing rather than unpleasant. Though truth be told, those experiences are sometimes better to look back on than immediately in the present.

So, when things are tough, when mechanical gremlins strike, when weather or terrain are overwhelming, when I feel sick - somehow I remind myself that those tough challenges are better in hindsight and get amused that I really do like this touring stuff...

veganbikes

I didn't come up with this matra but I think it holds true throughout life:
"Fu˘k it Dude, let's go bowling" Walter Sobchak, The Big Lebowski

However you could put it like this:
When life is at its hardest and the $hit has gone down you gotta just go do what you love!