Today I went for my first bike ride for a few months.

Around 25 minutes in, I looked down at my speedometer and an intriguing thought came to my mind. I was cruising down a hill at a cool 34mph when I remembered what it felt like climbing earlier and struggling to stay above 15mph. Going downhill, I put in no effort but I was moving quite fast and keeping up with the cars. When I was climbing earlier, I was working as hard as I could but all the cars were passing me.

Isn’t that how life is sometimes?

During some phases, we don’t have to work at all and life treats us amazingly well. Other times, we work so hard but barely move in place. We spin our wheels and get frustrated with incremental gains. 

The important thing isn’t that we move fast and “keep up with the cars”. The important thing is the keep moving. Remember the proverb:

It does not matter how slow you go, so long as you do not stop.

One of my desktop wallpapers that I make an effort to remind myself everyday is:

If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it.

If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.

If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.

When you become frustrated in slow progress, remember that you’ll stay there unless you keep persisting. 20mph downhill is much different from 20mph uphill. One takes almost no effort and gravity carries you. One takes tremendous effort and you have to fight gravity. The way I see it, gravity is your self-talk. Uphill, it can cloud your vision as doubt, anxiety, and any negative feelings that try to tell you something isn’t possible.  Downhill, it’s telling yourself that you’ve got what it takes and that success is within your grasp. No matter which phase you’re in, just keep going.

» FM Takeaway: Be aware of which phase you are going through and deal with it with the appropriate mindset. Riding downhill? Enjoy it and make the most of your opportunities. Struggling uphill? Keep your eye on the prize and don’t give up.