The Tri Town Times: 7/15/24

• Posted on 16 July 2024
• By Antonio Gonzalez
• Posted in the tri town times
• 0

Failures, setbacks, and a parable.

Hi all,

Last week's highlights:

- A decisive move all but assures the yellow jersey for Tadej Pogačar in the Tour de France.

- Boise local Matteo Jorgenson is currently 12th overall in the Tour de France.

Events I'm looking forward to:

- A large group of local athletes will compete at 70.3 Oregon in Salem this weekend.

Thought that struck a chord:

There is a classic parable called The Farmer and the Horse:

There was a farmer in a small village who owned a single horse, which helped him earn a living for his family. The other villagers constantly told the farmer how lucky he was to have such a great horse.

”Maybe,” he would reply.

One day, the horse ran away. The villagers came to the farmer to express their sympathies.

”Your horse ran away. How unfortunate!“ the villagers exclaimed.

”Maybe,” the farmer replied.

A few days later, the horse returned home with ten strong wild horses in tow.

”What good fortune. What incredible luck,” the villagers crowed.

”Maybe,” the farmer again replied.

The following week, the farmer’s son was riding one of the wild horses in the fields when it kicked him off and broke his leg.

The villagers arrived to express their dismay.

”What dismal luck,” they said.

”Maybe,” the farmer replied.

The following month, a military officer marched into the village, recruiting able-bodied young men for the war. The farmer’s son, with his broken leg, was left behind.

The villagers were joyful, “Your son has been spared. What beautiful luck!”

The farmer simply smiled.

”Maybe.”

Life is cyclical, and challenging times motivate us to make changes that improve our lives in the future. An injury might lead to embracing a new approach to cross-training, or a poor performance could inspire a change in training that ultimately leads to greater success. By maintaining perspective during difficult times, athletes can remain resilient and open to the unexpected positive outcomes that may arise from apparent setbacks.

Every setback and success has helped shape the athlete you are today. A prior failure may become your biggest blessing. When an athlete takes this perspective, failures and setbacks are no longer things to be feared and can be embraced as opportunities to grow and adapt.

Have a great week!

Antonio Gonzalez

Tri Town Bicycles

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