Go find your headphones, turn up your device’s volume to full. Click play on the video below, then close your eyes and listen to the song till its over. Try to listen to the words, the female voice humming, the drum beats, their pace and not to think of anything else. And keep your eyes closed.
No peeking!
Welcome back. This is one of those musical masterpieces that are known to send a chill down my spine. Maybe it did for you too. If it didn’t, I’d recommend sitting through the video with your eyes open this time and wait for the slow motion bit.
I’ve been making some noise on social media for the last few weeks about this 100 Miler century bicycle ride. (that’s 160kms) I’ve rounded up a small posse to undertake this with me and I’m real proud of everyone of them. But, what I am more of, is scared. I’ve never ridden 160kms on a single day in all my 11 odd years of riding around a bicycle. I’ve ridden in the Himalayas across Spiti and into Ladakh, ridden up and down Nandi innumerable times and some of those times were on a single speed steel bike! I have commuted unaccounted miles in a bunch of cities, rode a short bit in Andaman and yet, I never actually felt that I could, should or would ride a 100 miles. And that is exactly why I am here now. Like I just accepted, I’m a little scared about it. This fear is because I don’t know how the ride will go, if I will be able to finish it or not. And there is only one way to kill that fear, go out and ride! Whether I finish it or not can only be found out if I go ride the dreaded distance of 100 Miles.
There is no day better to do it on than the extra day we get in 4 years. I’m not doing this because it is on a list, not doing it to show off, not for bragging rights, (I’m not active on strava, you can check) not doing it because someone asked me to do it or taunted me to. I’m doing it because I haven’t done it before, its new, its more than what I am comfortable doing and comfort sickens me.
I wish for everyone to get all that you have a desire for, and you won’t get shit if you don’t work for it and the only way to work is if you show improvement in your work. Don’t do the same crap everyday, do it better, do it faster, do it in a more enjoyable way, do it slower too. Just promise me you will not get familiar with your life. Familiarity over a long period breeds contempt.
That thing you want to do, but apparently its not the right time to do it yet is slowly eating at you and you don’t even know it. And when you don’t know the enemy that is eating at your peace and progress, it is hard to fight it.
I urge you, nay I request you to use this extra day, the TWENTY NINTH DAY of FEBRUARY, TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY to do something that you haven’t done before. It doesn’t have to be as extreme as cycling a 100 Miles. Just do 10% more of what you are doing now.
Walk for 10 more minutes,
Ride for 10 more kilometres,
Squat for 10 more reps,
Push up for 10 more seconds,
Pull up for 1 more rep,
Clean for 10 more minutes,
Sing more,
Write more,
Dance more,
Scream more,
Talk more,
Listen more,
Shut up more…
Do anything, but outdo!
Help me create a network of magnificent human beings who want to work towards the progress of themselves and people that surround them. Click a picture, record a video of you doing more of what you love on this leapday and share it on any social media with #leapdayglory so anyone doing this knows that they are not alone. There are many people in this world who are sick of comfort and are working towards achieving more in their lives.
Good luck! Live…