Get Lost!

November 26, 2025 by 2 Comments

While the unfamiliar road presents itself as a risky, difficult choice, it is also the path with the greatest opportunity to discover and learn from embracing the unknown — celebrate the adventure!

There is tremendous opportunity for adventure and discovery when we do not know where the paths on our journey will lead. If every journey started with the knowledge of a defined result or outcome there would be no adventure, no mystery, and no story. The lesson is found in the experience of the risk, not in the safety of a predictable outcome.

When I first moved to New Jersey, I would take my wife and my two year-old son out for a Sunday drive. Even though my wife grew up in New Jersey, she was relatively directionally challenged. She knew how to get the important places – home, school, church, work, grocery store, the Jersey Shore, and her parents’ house. After that, other directions were anyone’s guess.

I was quite different. No matter where I was, I had the ability to somehow find my way. My intuitive sense of direction combined with my ability to remember landmarks made me a navigating machine. At the center of it all was my high degree of comfort with the adventure of exploration and discovery.

Our Sunday drives were about “getting lost.” The first time I said, “let’s go get lost” my wife was a little nervous. She knew I wasn’t kidding. She also knew she couldn’t help us find our way if we actually did get lost. We certainly did not have the safety of all the navigational devices in 1982 that we do today.

Getting lost was about the opportunity to go on an adventure. It was an opportunity to learn, to discover, and to understand. I would take roads that neither of us knew where they lead to. I would enjoy the scenery, celebrate the views, discover the region and eventually find my way home. In the end, I learned how to navigate the highways and byways of Northern New Jersey and New York City.

Life is an adventure. There is beauty in the adventures of life. You do not always need to know where you are going. You do not always need to have a defined outcome. And, you certainly do not benefit by avoiding getting lost or confused. All those experiences are part of the learning and development process. Finding your way after getting lost is part of the experience. In fact, it is the most important part of the experience of life.

When I reflect back on those Sunday rides, I loved finding my way. Sometimes I would end up further out than I had anticipated or more off course than I realized. We always ended up safely at home with a little more knowledge about the roads, the region, and some of the sites that we may not have discovered any other way. And, the experience benefited me later in life. I learned the roads well enough to drive a limo, drive a truck, and manage a sales territory in the Metropolitan NYC area without once using a road map or directions.

As you contemplate the actions in your life, remember you do not always need to know where you are going. You will often discover your route once you start your journey. Besides there are often detours and road blocks on your journey anyway. Attempting to define the outcome before you depart is great if you only want to end up in one clearly defined place. How do you know that is where you really want to be? How did you define your destination? Taking directions also means you are relying on someone else to help you define where you need to go. Where is the adventure in that?

It is your life, your journey, and your adventure. Getting a little lost is the best opportunity to learn and grow. It is the best way for you to embrace life’s challenges as you discover and learn on the path of your journey. Next time you want to plot a course for your life, pick the direction and let the experience of getting lost be part of your trip. You will be amazed by the excitement of the adventure and power contained in the lessons.

Dave Cooke is currently working on a bike ride across the US — 4500 miles, 100 days - where he will be speaking to young adults on this journey about the power of making a commitment to engage in positive behaviors to influence productive outcomes. To make this journey possible he is relying on sponsors and donations. To donate.

 

Filed Under: Learning From Experience Tagged With: , , , , ,

Get Busy! Keep Moving!

November 19, 2025 by Leave a Comment

“When the going is easy and the wind is at your back, push hard. When the going gets tough, push harder!”

Have you ever had a stretch where you felt like you were hauling a piano with you wherever you were going? Where each step was a little harder, the outcomes difficult to celebrate, and progress seemed nearly non-existent? Where taking a break, spending a day doing nothing, or running away from home almost felt like the best idea? Me, too!

Sometimes the wind is at our backs and sometimes it seems like when it is in our face, we are going uphill as well. For those who bike or run, you know — nothing is more challenging than an uphill, wind-in-your-face climb.

I am in the middle of my own steep, wind facing climb right now. Finding and maintaining momentum is very, very difficult. It is not easy. And, until I reach the top of this climb, this is my challenge. I have two choices. Stop, turn around, and go back — which is not progress, it is retreat! Or, I can keep pedaling and pushing forward!! Moving forward is progress — even though, in this case it is slow, painful progress. It is progress nonetheless.

How do I keep moving even though I feel like I am not? I remember my commitment and I remind myself that maintaining some level of momentum is always progress! In last week’s article, I shared my perspective on commitment. A commitment is not breakable, especially when something happens to challenge it. A commitment is something to honor, no matter what! I am in commitment mode.

Even though everything around me feels like a challenge, an obstacle, or a distraction to my commitment, I will honor it because that is what commitments are all about. Honoring our commitments is the first half of the successful outcome equation!

The other half of the equation to successful outcome equation is taking action, getting busy, and never losing momentum! It is one thing to make a commitment. It is another thing to take action and maintain momentum to honor it. In many respects, this is simpler than we realize. The commitment is the hard part. Taking action is much easier — provided we understand the commitment in the first place.

There are three pieces to the take action, get busy, and keep moving process:

  1. Know where you are going: The vision of your outcome is how you define your commitment. This is not money, houses, cars, or any other material possession. They are only objects in your dream. What you need to focus on is the outcomes in your life — what will bring you peace, joy, and inner happiness. In other words, what success, accomplishment, and progress feel like and look like emotionally. Having a clear picture of that is the journey you are on.
  2. Believe you will get there: Successful accomplishment is all about attitude. Your self talk, your inner drive, your belief in self will define the outcome. This is why the emotional vision is so important. When you attach your heart to your effort, your mind cannot stop you. Your heart is what drives you. Celebrate the fact that you are on your way to your vision. Celebrate your progress every day with the attitude that you are always moving forward. With that you will not lose faith. Keep your head out of the conversation and let your heart lead the celebration and you will always keep moving.
  3. Never stop working at it: Anything worth having is going to be work and take time and effort. Progress can be, and often is, incremental. The steps will not always be big ones, the road to progress may not always be measured in miles but in paces; yet, the journey only begins when you simply take action and only continues when you keep things moving. Once it stops — you have to get it started again. Always keeping it moving means you have never stopped working on it, believing in it, or moving it forward.

There are days, like right now, where I am in a funk. I am frustrated, challenged, struggling, and having trouble maintaining momentum. It would be really easy to stop. I have made a commitment, have come too far, and have a clear vision of my accomplishment — I am not going to lose the progress I have made simply because things have become very difficult.

Instead of stopping to regroup, to collect my thoughts, or to re-examine my action plan, I keep moving forward. I push onward with my eyes, ears, and heart wide open looking for inspiration, thoughts, energy, or guidance that will flatten out the road or alter my route in a productive way. Regardless, of what I am going through, taking action and staying in motion is the only course at this time. “Life is like cycling, you have to keep pedaling!”

Dave Cooke is currently working on a bike ride across the US — 4500 miles, 100 days - where he will be speaking to young adults on this journey about the power of making a commitment to engage in positive behaviors to influence productive outcomes. To make this journey possible he is relying on sponsors and donations. To donate.

Filed Under: Focusing On Your Vision, Maintaining Focus, Make A Commitment, Managing Adversity Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Make a Commitment!

November 12, 2025 by 1 Comment

“The most important component of success is focused, committed action. Without it, nothing happens!”

All the planning, organization, research, intentions, and goal setting means nothing without commitment.

“Commitment is the state..of being dedicated…it is also known as a pledge [and]…is never supposed to be broken; if it is broken that means it was never a commitment rather was just a pretention.” ~ Wikipedia

Far too many people confuse commitment with intent. Every one of us have many dreams, goals, intentions, or plans to accomplish great things, until life interrupts us and we allow our so-called commitment to move aside to do what is otherwise more important at that time. It happens. However, it is in these occurrences where we really discover what our true commitments are and the real obligations that will never be compromised.

Many intend to make time for the so-called important things. Many intend to drive to a certain outcome. Many plan to work on it, change it, or improve it, until the time allocated was taken away — “until the phone rang”, “until there was an emergency”, “until it was too cold this morning to ride” (okay, that was mine), “until I started worrying about how this was all going to work out.” When we allow these distractions to completely interrupt or prevent us from honoring our commitment, we are not in commitment mode, we are in intention mode.

There is nothing wrong, evil or bad about intention mode. It is simply not the same powerful, unrelenting, game-changing, life-altering, outcome achieving, mode as commitment mode. Commitment mode is an entirely different animal. Commitment mode is unrelenting, unyielding, and uncompromising. Commitment mode sustains, protects, and perseveres even in the face of conflict, adversity and unexpected events. There is no I was planning on, trying to, or hoping to in commitment mode.

When a true commitment is made, nothing interrupts its progress. When a distraction or an emergency appears, it is still honored perhaps under alternative terms. Nothing interrupts a commitment from being fulfilled. Honoring a commitment involves adaptation, focus, and fulfillment to maintain momentum and sustain progress.

A commitment does not require a do it or die mindset; but, I there is a very clear and distinct differences between the desire in intention and the intensity in a commitment.

My mantra: Make commitments that you can honor and honor all commitments you make!

Here is the secret ingredient to it all - focus!! In this day and age where there so much is being demanded of our time — family, work, health, church, school, spouse — there is very limited time, energy, and bandwith. Because of this you are realistically capable of honoring only one commitment at a time. Reality check — many of us cannot even successfully manage a hope-to-do list with even ten things on it. What makes you think you can honor a commitment that takes priority over everything else?

There needs to be only one item at any time on your “commitment list” and you focus on the uncompromising priority and obligation of that item on your list. You can hang on to your hope-to-do-list, just don’t confuse it with your “commitment list.” It is the one task you manage above, around, and through all the other noise and distractions on your hope-to-do-list. Focus on what is most important — that game-changing commitment — and force the rest to be organized around it.

It is that simple. Make a commitment. Make only one continuous game-changing, life-altering, outcome fulfilling commitment at a time. Focus on honoring it. Make it your priority on a daily basis for 100 days. Focus on honoring that commitment despite all the other chatter and distractions. When you maintain that momentum, celebrate your daily accomplishment, and keep moving it forward, you will realize incredible, powerful outcomes in your life. Without a focused, commitment — you may keep things moving when you can, and create some level of incremental progress; however, few find inspired energy in minimal success.

Small, consistently applied little steps lead to big outcomes — this only comes as a by-product of a focus commitment!

SPECIAL INVITATION AND ANNOUNCEMENT

TWEETCHAT EVENT !!

On Thursday, November 15 from 9:00 - 10:00PM EST I will be offering an informational and inspirational discussion about the upcoming 100PedalsRide.

This is a great opportunity to learn more about the ride, the mission, and my commitment all from the comfort and convenience of your home.

All you will need to do on the day of the event is:

  1. Click on the link
  2. http://tweetchat.com/room/100PedalsChat
  3. Sign in with your Twitter or FB account
  4. Follow along with the conversation
  5. Type your questions in the window
  6. It is THAT easy — would love to have you participate
HELP GET THE WORD OUT REGARDING THIS EVENT!!
All you need to do is COPY AND PASTE this message in your Facebook or Twitter feed and I will be most grateful:
“Looking forward to learning more about #100PedalsRide on THU 11/15 9:00-10:00PM EST on #100PedalsChat http://tweetchat.com/room/100PedalsChat”

Filed Under: Maintaining Focus, Make A Commitment, Managing Adversity Tagged With: , , , ,

What’s Left at the End of Our Journey

November 5, 2025 by Leave a Comment

You will not be remembered for what you accomplished, you will be remembered for what you gave to others while you were here.

Last week Friday, the mother of a lifelong friend passed away very unexpectedly. While the story of her passing brings tears to my eyes there is something simultaneously peaceful, sad and thought provoking about it.

Mom was packed and ready to go on a trip out of town to join her daughter and son-in-law at a special performance. When the driver arrived at her house, he found the door opened (screen door locked) and Mom sitting with her suitcase on the chair. She was unresponsive when he knocked and rang the bell. My friend was contacted by the local police who phoned shortly after to tell her that Mom had passed away.

Mom simply packed her bags, quietly waited, and left!

No one knows when our journey here will come to an end. Sometimes a serious illness offers a sense of our mortality; though, even then we really don’t know when our time is up. In this case, Mom was never sick or had any known indications of ill health. Even though she was in her twilight years, she was very active and relatively vibrant.

I haven’t seen Mom in nearly forty years. I do remember her and I know what she has been up to. She was always pleasant, kind, and nice to me whenever I came over to the house. I know she remembered me and talked with my friend about me, even though we haven’t seen each other in years. Despite the absence of direct interaction, she always cared enough to stay in the know.

Mom was also loved. Her daughter thought the world of her. She enjoyed spending time with Mom whenever she could and she was close to her Mom in every positive way. Even though Mom is gone, she will never be forgotten and the memories, experiences and lessons from her time here will go on and live on in the hearts and minds of those who knew her.

Few of us will have the simple luxury of packing our bags, sitting on the porch and quietly, suddenly, and peacefully leave this earth. However, life comes and goes that fast, that suddenly. Once we are gone, all we leave behind is the love, the lessons, the experiences, and the gifts that we have given to others.

As you sit in the midst of your confusion, your chaos, your struggles, and your quest for a better life, reflect on this – what are you giving to others that will be cherished and shared long after you are gone? It is not what you accomplish in life that anyone remembers – it is how you loved them, taught them and appreciated them while you were here.

Mom, I am sorry to hear you are gone. You packed your bags and left us — it was obviously your time. One thing I know, you will never be forgotten, you are loved, and you will always be appreciated because that is the gift you gave us when you were here.

Filed Under: Celebrating Accomplishment, Giving Love, Make A Commitment Tagged With: , , ,