Recently I heard a song by Incubus called Make Yourself. Despite some rather harsh lyrics, it has a good message: don't let other people make you into something you don't want to be and take responsibility for your own growth through life.

We should look within ourselves to find how to grow in the right direction. At first, I saw myself an observer, a judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, to decide whether I was on the right path in life. But later on, I recognized triathlon could be my higher power, my inner strength. It seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride; but it was on a tandem bike, and I noticed that this inner strength was in the back helping me pedal.

I don't know just when this change took place, but life has not been the same since. Before triathlon, when I had control, I knew the way. It was rather boring and predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points. But when triathlon took the lead in life, I found delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places and at breakneck speeds. All I could do was hang on! Even though it looked like madness, it said, "pedal."

I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. When I'd be doubtful or encountered a problem, I would look back and think, if I can do what I did this weekend, I can surely fix this problem. Through triathlon, I was introduced to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance, and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey; our journey, triathlon's and mine.

I found that passing along the gifts and the joy was the next step in this journey. I told myself "Give the gifts away. They're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, and I found that in giving, I received, and still the burden was light. I knew bike secrets, knew how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear high places filled with rocks, fly to shorten scary passages. And I'm learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, my sport.

With the race season in full swing, this joy and strength can be your success. It's not a matter of idle chance; it's a matter of making the right choices and setting the right goals. It's not something you wait for, but rather something you'll take responsibility for. Things won't turn up in this sport until you turn them up. Success is neither magical nor mysterious. The people that truly succeed in triathlon, and in life, are the people who look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them. Don't sit on the sidelines, get in the game.

Your access to success has no real limits. The great opportunity in your life is where you are right now. Every situation, properly perceived, becomes an opportunity for you. You have grand opportunities all around you.

Open your eyes and you will find the right path. If you have the desire, you have the power to do accomplish great things. Taking action is all that is required.

You push and crank your way trough life and when you're sure you can't go any more, you'll just smile and say, "PEDAL!"

Dream big,