100 Pedals

Recovery for Parents Dealing with Addiction in their Families

## Trust Your Instinct

September 30, 2025 by Dave Cooke Leave a Comment

The battle between instinct and intellect is a perpetual, ongoing fight. While it often possible to prove what is known, it is difficult to be confident and certain all is known about what is being proven.

When dealing in the absolutes of something such a math, we have learned to qualify and quantify the rule that we often trust our calculations. The rules of math as we have learned them give us confidence in the answers we come up with, unless we make a calculation error. In that situation the rule is probably still correct, but the answer is wrong.

How do we trust our “math” when it comes to the areas of our relationships, opportunities, and conflicts. How do we know what the rule is for the situation. How can we know that we didn’t make a calculation error or apply the wrong formula to situation.

We don’t!!

While we all desire to avoid making a bad decision, taking an incorrect action, or make an untimely move there are no success formulas to guarantee the outcomes. While we desire a certain result from any action we take, sometimes we calculate wrong. It happens. Sometimes we don’t calculate wrong . Which happens less than not.

Trust your instincts. Your subconscious mind spends a great deal of time — much, much more time than you realize — assessing all the situations in your life. Your brain is constantly calculating and recalculating the score, the situation, the scenarios, and the experiences of the past as it assesses your options. When your “gut” gives you that call to action, chances are it knows what it is talking about. The odds are in your favor that it has given you the advice that reflects the best answer for that situation.

Why don’t we take it? We don’t want to make a mistake. Who does?

When in doubt, where do we go? Often we go to a more conscious thought process, which is more deliberate and confusing than the fluid, continuous, subconscious thought process your brain has already engaged in. Or we go to our friends — the people who know you best, yet have no earthly way of knowing all the work your subconscious mind has already completed. Or we go to the source of the problem, who will spin their story in any way possible to minimize an adverse outcome for them.

Trust your instincts. Your mind has put in the time already. It has done the math, calculated carefully, and used the best formula to discover the solution for you life. Your instincts know you best, has your best interests in mind, and rarely makes a calculation error — trust in that!!

Filed Under: Embrace Responsibility, Learning From Experience, Maintaining Focus, Managing Adversity, The Four Wheels of Personal Leadership Tagged With: commitment, conflict, controlling fear, decision making, fear, inspiration, integrity, managing fear, responsibility, trust

## What’s Your Story?

September 26, 2025 by Dave Cooke Leave a Comment

“Every life story begins and ends exactly the same — the difference is what you do in between.”

Usually one of the first questions I ask people when I meet them is “what’s your story?” I find the simplicity of the question allows anyone I am talking with to share with me whatever they want - business, personal, a little of both. I open the door, invite them to share and I they to choose the topic. I have the pleasure of listening and learning.

Each of us has a story. Actually, there are two stories. The story you tell yourself and others while you are here on this earth and the stories others tell long after you are gone.

Every life story has three parts: birth, life, death. There is nothing really different in the beginning or the end. Each story begins and end exactly the same. There may be a special uniqueness about how we entered or left this world; but, that is only a small part of the story and it isn’t what most people will spend much time reflecting on.

How you live your life — who you loved, touched, inspired — is your story.

Years ago, my college swim coach reminded me that being the superstar athlete on the team was not going to be what people remembered. What they were going to remember was the experience of the interaction and how my life evolved following my college days. I didn’t get it at the time because I was too immature and self-absorbed about my superior athleticism (or so I thought) to grasp the power in the lesson.

I get it now. Each of us is living a story. It is the story of our life — who we are, how we lived, and what we did with the gifts we were given. I am not interested in creating or building a legacy because that is not the real purpose our existence. We are not here to build monuments as a testimony to our greatness.

I am interested in and committed to sharing the power of my gifts, experiences and love to those who need me and them most. It my quest that long after I am gone the gifts I shared are passed on to others in the same spirit of passion, joy and love.

That’s my story. What’s yours?

Filed Under: Live With Passion, Living Your Purpose, The Four Wheels of Personal Leadership Tagged With: commitment, gifts, honor, integrity, living your story, love, passion, story

## Knock it off!!!

September 24, 2025 by Dave Cooke Leave a Comment

“You cannot fix what you don’t understand”

There are a lot of opinions, thoughts, ideas, and answers tossed around about solving any one of the many problems in our society. Economic issues, international crisis, political gamesmanship make up of a few of these active problems. The irony in these challenges are that far too many people act as though the answer to a very complex problem is simple — “all they need to do is…”

If all “they” needed to do was as simple as that, it would have been done. The problem is that these simple answers exist in the realm of a single perspective dimension - “as I see it, the answer is simple.”

Thank goodness you are the only one who sees simplicity in the problem. Lucky for you, the other 300 million people that exist in this country have no valid or credible perspective, intellect, knowledge, insight, thought, opinion or point of view on the subject. It is fortunate for us that because of what you believe, how you were raised, where you grew up, what you stand for, and where you studied you are officially much more qualified to express the correct opinion than everyone else.

Thank goodness for you. I was just starting to believe there was no hope and we were lost as a country until you showed up with all the right answers and just in the nick of time. Whew!

Reality check! You are not automatically correct just because. You are not the only one with a right to a perspective or opinion. And, your opinion only counts once — it is not weighted, of greater significance or value, and is not any more correct than the opinion of any other human being! There is no such thing as a simple answer to a complex issue.

Take a break from your judgement filled, fear driven, ego based thought process. Completely erase all prejudice, fear, and predisposed biases and take time to learn, understand, and examine the problem — ANY PROBLEM — from all perspectives, all viewpoints, and all potential solutions. Once your research is complete, from that same state of mind, share with me your very basic, simple, and easy plan for solving some of the world’s most complex problems. I bet your perspective will change and the answer will not be quite as clear or simple as you originally believed.

While you are at it, please take a break from calling any of our political leaders names or posting degrading commentary about them. Treat them with respect and dignity. Regardless how you view the way they represent their position, it is considered appropriate to treat the position, hence the person in it, with the proper respect and dignity.

There is far too much hate, judgement, fear, anger, disrespect, and ignorance in our world already. If you are interested in solving the world’s problems — and you must be interested since you are constantly expressing your opinion about what “should” be done — rise above the noise of the masses and be a thought leader. Be the person that takes the lead in exploring and collaborating to find the answer — that alone would create incredible change!

Filed Under: Practice Humility Tagged With: humility, leadership

## A Spirit of Power and Love

September 23, 2025 by Dave Cooke Leave a Comment

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

After my bike crash last December, I have to admit I am still traumatized by the whole experience. Getting hit by a car will do that to a person. My paranoia and defense mechanisms are always on high alert whenever I go for a bike ride. What used to be peaceful, meditative cycling journeys are now filled with fear and trepidation. While driving behaviors have generally not changed since the accident — they have always been pretty pathetic — I have simply become more fearful as a result of the incident.

The verse featured in this article was a gift from a friend in response to the sharing of my post-traumatic stress tendencies. Since receiving the gift of this verse, I have started to discover more peace and comfort on my cycling trips.

Living life in fear, whatever the source of that fear may be, only dilutes the potential for accomplishment and celebration in living. Each of us has been blessed with the strength, the power, the energy, the skills and the ability to live, love, dream, create, and celebrate. The spirit of fear only blocks what naturally exists within us.

Fear is not something we have been given, it is something we learn, we experience, and, if we are not careful, something we can inadvertently embrace. Fear is learned — the power within each of us is already there, waiting to be unleashed.

Since I was exposed to this thought a couple of weeks ago, I started reciting this verse as a reminder that fear is not naturally part of me. The gift of power, love, and intellect is. When I find myself becoming less peaceful on my rides, I simply recite this verse and I find the confidence and peace to forge on with power and commitment.

If you are uncomfortable with the notion of a bible quote inspiring you, simply embrace the mantra offered me when I first shared this story with another friend while in Michigan — “I am power, love, and positive energy.”

Whatever path you choose to embrace, celebrate and utilize the positive energy that resides within you, remember fear has not been endowed upon you — power, love, and intellectual energy has. Release your fear and make things happen!!

Filed Under: Learning From Experience, Maintaining Focus, Managing Adversity

## “Find A Way”

September 16, 2025 by Dave Cooke Leave a Comment

By now many of you have probably heard about Diana Nyad and her successful quest to swim from Cuba to Florida at the age of 64. Whether 64 or 24, this is one momentous accomplishment. Having been a committed and dedicated competitive swimmer through high school and college, I can really appreciate the how difficult this quest is.

Back in the day, I used to swim somewhere between four and five hours daily. I would usually swim around 12,000-14,000 yards or just under 8 miles a day, six days a week. All I remember about that period was I was exhausted – emotionally and physically – at the end of every practice. Unlike many other sports, swimming does not offer a whole lot of down time between sets or swims to catch your breath, talk, or relax. Every single workout was a series of endless laps – back and forth, back and forth – in complete isolation. While there were other swimmers in the pool, working out with me, I was either racing against them or simply doing my thing in the water alongside them. The limit of my imagination and my experience is swimming eight miles over a five hour stretch. Even that seems amazing at my age considering I was swimming at that level nearly forty years ago.

About ten years ago, I decided to swim a 3.1 (5K) open water swim in the Detroit River. I loved it. It was a great mental and physical challenge. It took me just under 2 hours to complete the task. With that swim, reality took over and I had to admit that it is quite possible I am not as young as I used to be. During that swim I was reminded about the complete and total physical and emotional isolation that comes with swimming.

At 64, Diana Nyad found a way to complete her quest to swim 110 miles from Cuba to Florida. 110 miles, 53 hours – at 64! This was her fifth attempt at this crossing. FIVE attempts! Five times she went on a quest to swim 100 plus miles in complete physical and mental isolation. With each setback she increased her resolve and her commitment to accomplish this task. When she finally and successfully realized her objective she reminded all of us to examine our hearts and look at our dreams and quests and exorted us to “Find a way!”

Whatever your mission is, I am certain it is not as clearly mapped out as a 110 mile swim. What is lost in all the excitement of her 53 hour accomplishment is that it actually took her much longer to achieve her goal. It actually took her 35 years to accomplish her mission. From here first unsuccessful attempt in 1978 until her victory in 2013 – a span of 35 years – she never gave up, even when age, adversity, or doubt could have easily stopped her.

True, sustainable, and incredible successes often take time, commitment, passion, and perseverance. It takes the will to believe when no one else does. And, it takes the determination to “find a way” even if the answer, the solution, or the next step is not readily visible. Whatever you are dreaming about today, go after it, and “find a way”!!

Filed Under: Make A Commitment, The Four Wheels of Personal Leadership Tagged With: achievement, commitment, Diana Nyad, inspiration, motivation, passion, perseverance

## Remembering what is most important!

September 3, 2025 by Dave Cooke Leave a Comment

In the short time since returning from my amazing bike trip, I have stumbled on a few steps that have slowed the momentum of my mission. While these were not major setbacks, I was feeling frustrated and disappointed with their occurrence. While wallowing in my shallow sea of negativity, I stumbled across a story that Zoltan Mesko, a regarded punter from the New England Patriots and former Michigan Wolverine, had been cut.

This story was both a surprise and a disappointment. Call it a little silly, but I am always emotionally invested in the success of Michigan players as they come out of college in their quest to make it to the NFL. Generally, regular, reliable, and highly drafted punters like Zoltan rarely are cut. By all regards he was a popular and reliable member of the team.

I caught myself thinking about the disappointment he must be experiencing as his life took a dramatic turn with one decision. Then, I read his formal statement and I received his gift of inspiration:

> First and foremost, I want to thank the New England Patriots for everything they have done for me. I have nothing but love in my heart as I depart this great organization. Mr. Kraft, the coaches, the strength staff, the trainers, the media personnel, the marketing department, the rest of the amazing staff members at Gillette, and especially my teammates…THANK YOU for all that you have given and have done for me. I want to say that I see the silver lining in things now more than ever, and am a true believer that things DO happen for a reason. This goes out to anyone that will ever come across a mere bump in the road; be thankful, be positive, because there’s a deeper purpose of WHY things happen that we may not yet, or may never come to understand. Just believe. I will miss New England, and more than anything, I’ll be missing the smiles on those kids whom I visited and acted like a goofball in front of. It was ALL worth it. God bless.

Zoltan provided a great reminder of what is truly important and how to respond to those adversities that interrupt our plans:

1. Be grateful for every opportunity that has been presented to us. While they may not turn out the way we desire, show gratitude for the opportunity.
2. Trust that whatever happens, there is a lesson and a blessing that will come from it. While it may not be obvious or easy, having faith there is a gift in this adversity will guide you through it.
3. Remember what is most important — that you are here to give and share love at all times with those that need it. It is not about what you need or want that satisfies the spirit, but what you do to give to others that feeds the soul.

Thanks, Zoltan, for the lesson. It is time for me to get back to work and change lives!

Filed Under: Giving Love, Inspirational Perspectives, Live With Passion, Uncategorized