Have you ever thought about just how much power a certain name can have?  Along with that, does a powerful name provide a more powerful product?

Okay, so a couple weeks ago a guy named Ky-mani Marley performed on Grenada’s sister island of Carriacou.  The name likely does not ring any bells for you….I know it didn’t for me or any of my friends around here.  But that famous last name was enough to get people interested.

Ky-mani is one of the many son’s of Bob Marley.  Damian Marley….Ziggy Marely…..yeah, I definitely know about those sons.  But Ky-mani?  Never heard of him.

The power of a name was enough to get a huge buzz going prior to the concert, and it also helped draw in a nice crowd for the event.  I wonder how many people would have gone if it was Ky-mani Jones performing?

The same thing is true in the bicycle industry.  There are a lot of us out there who feel that a brand like Trek or Specialized is far superior to any other bike company.  Why?  Because Pro cyclists ride them, they do great marketing, and most of all….because you’ve heard of them.

But ask a bicycle specialist who makes the best bikes, and I’ll guarantee you that it’s not one of the top 5 most publicized bike companies.

So what does all this have to do with our Make it Happen Monday theme?  Well, I’m hoping it helps motivate you to build an incredible name for yourself……not necessarily the way Ky-mani, Trek, or Specialized did.

Create a powerful name by doing great things.  Make a change in the world for the better.  Do something different, and incredible.  Leave a legacy.

All with the Power of Your Name.

Each Monday we put up a Make it Happen post and do what we can to help motivate and kickstart everyone into having a fantastic week….on and off the Bike.  But what do you do when you’re experiencing Make it Happen Overload?

I’m not saying I’m always on top of things, but I’m the kind of person who must always get things done.  When I have a list of tasks or things needing attention, I can’t rest until they’ve been completed.  This attitude applies to pretty much all areas of my life…including my cycling.

On the bike, I sort of have a backwards approach to common training methods.  I like to get my big rides and miles in earlier in the week instead of building up to an epic weekend ride.  It’s just part of my Do it Now way of thinking.

Off the bike, it’s the same story.  Sure I can procrastinate with the best of them, but most of the time my mind does not rest until things have been completed.

Right now, I’m experiencing a huge case of Make it Happen Overload.  I have a list of things that need to be done, or at least started, but because they aren’t totally within my decision-making power….I can’t move forward.  It’s driving me nuts.

Remember, I live in the Caribbean….a place notorious for things moving slow, so this sort of thing happens quite regularly over here.

Oh, and being very impatient plays a big part in all of this as well.  The Queen lyrics of “I want it all, I want it all, I want it all….and I want it now” seem like a very appropriate theme to my way of life.

So as I find myself basking in an ocean of Make it Happen Overload, I’m reminded by my beautiful Wife to just ease up and let things fall into place like they are meant to happen.  Wise advice, and my Make it Happen mind is trying hard to process these words, and put them into action.

How about you?  Are you a Make it Happen Maniac like I am?  How do you keep it all rolling along without driving yourself insane?

Happy Make it Happen Monday.

It doesn’t matter who you are, or what kind of cyclist you aspire to be….there are no limits in getting you to where you want to go.

As with all our Make it Happen Monday posts here at Loving the Bike, this one is intended to motivate and push you to do great things….on and off the bike.  Having No Limits, is definitely a great way to get you where you want.

The number of great stories out there about people going beyond their limits to do amazing things are endless.  But today I share with you the incredible “no limits” attitude of a dog, a cyclist, and a man with no arms or legs.

No Limits Dog

My Wife is a dog loving maniac….actually the rest of my Family is as well.  They’ll do anything they can to help out an animal (or person).  A couple weeks ago, they started fostering a puppy from the GSPCA (Grenada Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).  But Sammi is not your typical homeless dog.

Sammi has absolutely no feeling in her back end, so that means she can’t use her hind legs or control anything else back there.  But this totally hasn’t stopped her from being one super happy dog that will go anywhere and attempt to climb anything.  Having the use of only two legs has not stopped her at all.

Have a look at this amazing No Limits puppy:

No Limits Cyclist

Us cyclists are a pretty amazing people, if I do say so myself.  But there are several cyclists who do extraordinary things.  Okay, so riding in the Tour de France is extraordinary in its own right….but there are every day cyclists who have done some pretty incredible things on a bike.  There are my friends, the Vogels, who together as a Family rode from Alaska to Argentina.  Or Robert Marchand, a 100-year-old man who recently set a 100 km cycling record.

But today, I’m going to pick out Tom Bruce who cycled around the world in 2011.  His No Limits attitude helped get him through this amazing journey and in this story over at Beyond Limits Magazine, he talks about Riding Through the Desert.

No Limits Amazing

Just last week, my Wife introduced me to a man she found online called Nick Vujicic.  Maybe you’ve heard of him….but if you haven’t, you just have to see more about what this man can do even though he has no arms and no legs.  Yeah, you heard me right.

Not only does Nick have a No Limits attitude, he also has the most amazing outlook on life and biggest passion for living that you’ll ever see.

Just making his way through a day is enough for him to be featured in a No Limits post, but this dude takes it to the max.  There is nothing he won’t try….golfing, swimming, football, and more.  If he hasn’t tried it already, I’m sure we’ll see him riding a bike one of these days as well.

See for yourself.  Here’s a quick look at Nick’s No Limits attitude:

I know you have a No Limits attitude inside of you as well.  It’s Monday and “today is a new life to a wise man”.  Get out there and make it happen.

Enjoy Your Ride.

In my opinion, the most important ingredient for performance on the bike is Mental Preparation.  Of course it is….the brain is the most powerful thing we have so it’s really the starting point of making it happen.  Making anything happen.

Everything in life is created first in the mind, and then again in reality…..and that applies to your ride as well.

We just finished a week of cycling tips here at Loving the Bike, where we provided some tips on helping you perform better on your bike.  There are also a whole bunch of great cycling tips available for your listening pleasure over at our Cycling 360 Podcast as well.  But in order for any cycling tips to be effective, you must first be mentally prepared for your ride and mentally prepared to put these tips into action.

I’ve got an over-thinking mind so it’s always aware of a power training ride being a part of each week day.  (Yes, I’m a Monday to Friday rider who likes to get enough miles in during the week so I can spend the weekends with my Family).  So my mind never seems to stop focusing on my ride until it’s been completed….and then soon after begins to focus on the next one.

A couple weeks ago we had plans and I knew I’d be tied up for the whole day, and not able to ride.  My mind definitely knew about this as well.  In the morning, our plans changed and I suddenly had enough time for a ride after all.  As I got geared up and ready to go, I could tell that I just wasn’t into it like I normally am.  In fact, I opted for my mountain bike instead of a road ride because I just wasn’t feeling it.

Yeah, the mind is a powerful thing….and not being mentally prepared ahead of time made me lack the enthusiasm and energy to get out there and push the limits.  I learned right then and there just how powerful my mind and thoughts really are.

Enjoy Your Ride….but always be sure to mentally focus on it as well.  Be aware of what you want to do on your bike, mentally prepare, and Make it Happen.

Each day this week we’re bringing you one of our Loving the Bike Top 5 Cycling Tips.  We do our best to provide cool stuff and interesting tips and information for all you cyclists on a regular basis, but this week we’re coming at you with our top tips.

We’re kicking things off with Tip #5 today, and will continue to run through to Tip #1 on Friday.  Each one will be a video post from either Stevie, Kelli, or myself….and we hope you enjoy the information we have to share.

Loving the Bike Cycling Tip #5 – Make it Happen

Stop back tomorrow for Stevie’s #4 Loving the Bike Cycling Tip.

Wonder – To believe in life is to see the beauty and wonder around us, and to hold close the magic of it all.

As I sit here this morning I feel as if my day has been complete.  For some reason, I was totally awake at 5AM but laid in bed just a little longer before crawling on out.  I then took off on an early morning bike ride which is something I rarely do, because even when I’m up that early I don’t feel energized enough for a hardcore ride.

Maybe it was because I woke up to another magical Grenadian day, or maybe I was able to tap into some hidden energy source…….because not only did I feel more fired up than most mornings, I felt even better than when I ride at my peak time of the day.

As I rode, I enjoyed the Sun as it was making its way up in the sky, watched people getting their days started, and looked at the waves crashing in as they greeted the Grenada shoreline……all as I sped by at the speed of bike.  Without thinking about it, I was taking in everything around me subconsciously as I focused mainly on my biking.

It wasn’t until I got home and sat down to write this message that I looked up at the calendar on the wall in front of me and saw the quote at the top of this post.  Right then I was taken back to the unconscious thoughts from my ride.

Life really does hold a lot of magic within itself.  Even as we whiz through our day keeping busy with whatever it is we happen to be doing, and always trying to get more things done.……our subconscious is still taking in the beauty and wonder of it all.  If it can’t be processed right in the moment, then hopefully it can once you slow down sometime during your day.  Letting the sandstorm in your mind settle down.

What’s even better is taking in the moment as it happens.  That’s something I’m still working on.  To enjoy the movement of life and witness the magic in real time.

Bike ride is done.  The surf is up….and now I’m going to go play in the waves of life, and enjoy all the great things this world has to offer.

Happy Make it Happen Monday.

Quite a while ago our Family decided to make Sundays an electronic free day, meaning we wouldn’t use the TV, Computer, Phone, or any other similar device.  We’re not generally electronic obsessed, but for this one day a week we make sure to keep them off and totally focus on quality Family time.

It’s actually a lot tougher than it may sound and it seems like every week there’s a reason to jump on the computer for just a minute….but we do our best to respect the electronic free day.  Sure there are weeks where we break the rules and use something, but for the most part our whole Family stays away from electronics on this one day.

At Home

Yesterday was a perfect example of just what can happen when there are no electronic distractions and how old-fashioned fun can make the day great.  We stayed home pretty much all day and had countless “little” moments that filled me up with laughter, love, and great memories.  Things like the “game” that my 2-year-old invented and had us play, or the creative ideas and thoughts that my two older kids came up with, and the great skit and song that my boys performed later in the day….all added up to one fantastic Family experience.

On the Bike

Electronic free days don’t have to be limited to things at home.  How about taking a ride every week or two where you don’t use the computer on your bike?  I know that I’m constantly looking down at my Garmin and always seem to be battling against the clock or average time.  I’ve forced myself to turn it off every now and then and it is those rides where I’m able to relax my mind and enjoy things just a little bit more.  I do love the competitiveness that the computer provides inside of me, but I equally love those rides that are “electronic free”.

If you’re not ready for a weekly electronic free day, maybe you can start out by taking the National Day of Unplugging Challenge.  The next one takes place March 1 and 2, and more information can be found at www.sabbathmanifesto.org/unplug.

Take it for what it’s worth, but I wanted to share my electronic free experiences with you and suggest it as an idea that can help you Make it Happen….on and off the bike.

You’ve heard of having butterflies in your stomach, but what I’ve got is a serious case of Monarchs in mine.

If having butterflies is in response to being nervous or anxious about something, then having Monarch butterflies is what happens when you’re about to kick it up Rockstar style and totally Make it Happen.  Oh, and Monarch butterflies are also unable to survive in cold weather and migrate south each year so they can escape the coldness……very applicable to me and my life I must say.

My Family and I are heading off on an awesome adventure on November 2 and as it approaches I’ll slowly be laying down more and more details on it all.  That way I can drop the news in bite sized pieces, and also (hopefully) keep you coming back for more information on it all.  Anyway, with all of this coming together and happening oh so fast….I’m finding myself totally fired up, alive, and dealing with that sensation in my stomach.

This isn’t the first time I’ve felt the Monarchs.  They always seem to come when I’m at the upper scale of my excitement level.  I used to feel it when I was younger and on my way to the river for some waterskiing.  I felt it on the day I got married.  I felt it when my kids were born.  And, I definitely feel it before each and every big ride.

As I look back, it becomes very apparent that the Monarch butterflies have come when I’m really making it happen, and vibrating at my most positive level.  They come at the times when I’m living….and not just simply passing time.  You’ll often catch me saying that over here at Loving the Bike it’s about living life to the fullest….on and off the bike.  Well, that’s how it’s feeling right now.

Okay, so as I write this with the intention of kickstarting your week with another Make it Happen Monday post….I hope that you too will grab hold of your dreams, move forward in making it reality, and have those Monarchs enter your stomach as well.  Let’s do this.

We all know of Nike’s famous tagline…Just Do It, but for today’s Make it Happen Monday post I wanted to encourage you all to Do It Now.

One of the best pieces of wisdom I have ever received in my life came from a random person in an unexpected situation.  It must have been about 20 years ago and I was sitting in the waiting room of a physiotherapist’s office, for rehab on one of the many waterskiing injuries I used to get each summer.

As I sat there, I struck up a conversation with an older woman who was waiting as well.  I can’t picture her face any longer, or remember anything about her to be honest….but the words she shared with me are something that has clung on tightly to my soul and will never be forgotten.

Her story explained how she and her husband had great plans to travel the World once they had worked for the greater part of their younger life, and then would travel their way through retirement.  But before they were able to stop working and begin their journey, her husband developed lung issues that led to him being tethered to an oxygen tank at all times.  All of a sudden, travelling became something they could no longer do.

Then she spoke the words that I will always remember, “do not wait to do the things you love, with the ones you love.  Do it now.  Find a way to do it before it’s too late.”

I wish I could have video taped that conversation and played it back for the full effect.  But hopefully a little piece of that wise woman from the physiotherapy waiting room resonates through in this post.

Have you always wanted to ride a century?  Do It Now.  Want to tell that cute girl in the coffee shop how you feel about her?  Do It Now.  No matter what it is, don’t put it off.  Do It Right Now.

I’ve always felt like Simplicity is the key to a happy and successful life.  I’ve done a pretty good job at keeping things as simplified as possible, but feel that I need to go even further to really get the full benefits of what this way of life has to offer.

There’s already been a few posts by me praising the notion of living a simple life, but I’ve never really talked about how the bicycle, and riding a bike fits so perfectly into the whole simplicity mix.  I’m still moving towards a much more car-lite lifestyle, and those who are already there can attest to the feeling of simplicity that it provides.  Living without a vehicle might not be as handy in some instances, but I think the peace of mind and freedom goes a long way in making up for it.

Even the bike itself is a product of simplicity.  Sure, they have become more complex over the years….but in the end they really are just two wheels on a frame.  A bike might require a few repairs and regular maintenance, but looking after it is so much more simplified then looking after a vehicle.

I sit and watch my two year old Son, and see how such simple things fascinate and entertain him.  Then I watch us adults, and see how we need all this “Stuff” to entertain us.  My Wife said it best a few weeks ago, when she said we all need to just “Be” more often. We’re so caught up in our fast paced lives that we never get a chance to let things simmer and just be for a little while each day.

Yeah, lucky for us….we have our bike rides that allow us freedom, simplicity, and the ability to just “be” for a little while.  Try extending that into the other parts of your life, and I’m pretty sure you’ll experience how that feeling on the bike transcends into the other areas as well.