Wanting It

Excess cable wrapped around rear derailleur.

If you want something bad enough, no problem can stop you from getting it done.  When a kid is destined to be a stand-up comic, he holds court anywhere, even telling jokes in his father's funeral home parlor (true story).

Conversely, if you don't really want it, then problems seem to keep stopping you from getting there.  Not training for your race because it's raining, or you can't stand treadmills, or it's too cold outside, or you just can't find the time?  Then you don't really want it and should do something else with your valuable time instead.

When my shifting cable broke this weekend during a training ride, I didn't think about quitting.  I didn't call somebody to pick me up.  I didn't flag down a truck and get a ride home.  I spent nearly an hour re-routing the rear derailleur to the left shifter so I could continue my ride.  Emily asked how hard it was to get home.  "Home?" I said. "I was only halfway done with my training ride.  I kept going."

Front shifter cable tied in square knot to rear shifter cable. Front derailleur removed to allow chain to stay in big ring.

If I did have to quit, then it would have just been long enough to get home and finish the ride on the trainer anyway.

When you read this and think it's a little extreme or silly, remember that Chrissie Wellington didn't stop winning at Kona when all her CO2s were gone.  Overcoming problems in practice make it that much easier when it counts.  I now know even more about shifting cables and derailleurs than previously, and it could help me or somebody else someday.

The point is, do what you love.  When you do, nothing stops you from getting it done.  Not only that, but you will enjoy overcoming the obstacles that seem to stop others that aren't so motivated.