Controlling the Mind

[csmith12]

Weather you planning a short ride around the town, commuting, planning a long tour, your next track day or round 6 of your race series, your state of mind plays a large role. As with many sports, riding a motorcycle to a high level of proficiency requires both physical and mental conditioning.

Let’s start with a list of common traits a skilled rider possesses.

Successful Riders Have/Do:
Positive Attitude
Driven Motivation
Set Realistic Goals
Visualize Success via mental and tangible thoughts and beliefs
Manage Distractions in a positive way
Have great Concentration & Focus
Have People Skills

Now we will break down the list into smaller points to be able to process and work on them individually.

Attitude
Most important!!!!! Attitude is a choice!
Riding a motorcycle is an opportunity to compete against yourself
Learn from not only success but failure
Maintain a balance of sport and the rest of the aspects of your life

Motivation
Ability to carry on despite difficulty, unforeseen problems and without regard of reward that cannot be given except unto themselves
Realization of that the benefits may come from participation and NOT the outcome

Setting Realistic Goals
Set both short and long term goals
Develop a method of measuring progress toward goals
Strong commitment to obtaining goals

Visualize & Believe in Success
What is the main difference between those that DO and those who DO NOT? They truly believe they can perform a task even if they have never done it before.

Managing Distractions
Concentration & Focus
Sooo much more to add here.....

People Skills
Realize they are part of a larger system, that includes, family, friends, competitors, coaches, event staff and so on
Have excelled in not only learning from themselves but others as well

Mental skills training is not only possible, but can be used to improve areas of weakness to better your ability to deal with the demands of riding in any condition.

And finally, I offer an additional though from one that is without question;
"It doesn't matter how slowly you go, as long as you don't stop. - Confucius

[csmith12]

fyi, this was something I found in my drafts folder from a long time ago. I feel it's somewhat incomplete. :\

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by csmith12

I feel it's somewhat incomplete. :\

Maybe this will help.

[snot]

I try to do this, I know I am my own enemy. What I fight with is letting go and letting the bike guide me instead of me guiding the bike.

[ninjamunky85]

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Maybe this will help.

it doesn't work as well as it sounds like it would. they have much much better ways to accomplish the same thing now. and the new ones don't heat up your brain like directed microwaves do.

[csmith12]

My brain is always hot!!!! You can bet that.

So I am not sure of the direction of this thread. Let's go with a question first... there is much in life that happens when your about to ride.

How do you filter out what should NOT be part of the ride?

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Visualize & Believe in Success
What is the main difference between those that DO and those who DO NOT? They truly believe they can perform a task even if they have never done it before.

once you know that you can do anything you want, the world is a much friendlier place. knowing what to want is the real hard part.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by alex.s

once you know that you can do anything you want, the world is a much friendlier place. knowing what to want is the real hard part.

[Sirref]

I feel like this post applies to successful people and not just riding

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by Sirref

I feel like this post applies to successful people and not just riding

Yes... but let's keep it focused on riding, if at all possible.

[Sirref]

sure, I'm just thinking that in the respect of controlling your mind it affects all aspects of your life. Being able to control your mind allows you to do literally anything you want to do, at that point you just need to know what that is. Which is more or less what alex said.

Similar to how YCRS run by nick ienatsch, ken hill, and scott russell focuses quite a bit on the mentality of the riders who attend their school. From what I've seen they really try to teach the mentality of always being alert and aware of what you're doing. "where am I, what am I doing" - nick ienatsch

[alex.s]

have you ever been in a practice session and someone with basically the same bike, same tires, same everything besides the nut behind the wheel and he's going ungodly faster through a corner you're already dragging things in and don't think you could go faster?

it's kinda frustrating but it is also liberating in a way. it's like, "oh. okay. it's me then" and you start picking everything apart about why you do certain things. why do you brake so early? why do you brake so much? why even brake at all? it starts beginning like you're reverting to a 3 year old asking why why why why but you keep digging until things start to make sense about why you aren't going faster. its a bunch of questions only you can answer, but the cool part is, anyone can ask.

[Snake]

Originally Posted by alex.s

once you know that you can do anything you want, the world is a much friendlier place. knowing what to want is the real hard part.

Originally Posted by alex.s

have you ever been in a practice session and someone with basically the same bike, same tires, same everything besides the nut behind the wheel and he's going ungodly faster through a corner you're already dragging things in and don't think you could go faster?

it's kinda frustrating but it is also liberating in a way. it's like, "oh. okay. it's me then" and you start picking everything apart about why you do certain things. why do you brake so early? why do you brake so much? why even brake at all? it starts beginning like you're reverting to a 3 year old asking why why why why but you keep digging until things start to make sense about why you aren't going faster. its a bunch of questions only you can answer, but the cool part is, anyone can ask.

Wise words!

[corksil]

Fear is the mind killer.

Fear is an instinct which serves purpose to protect a being from harm.

Fear is not rational or logical.

Fear is not real -- it is an imaginary creation -- a "best possible" response that a fickle mind concludes when faced with limited evidence about a given situation.

Data -- science, alleviates fear.

Slow down to speed up. Slow down and study one aspect of the equation at a time.

By "the equation" I mean life. Reality. Objective reality, not subjective reality. Facts. Figures. Hard science. No woo-woo superstitious bullisht.

A cup is made of clay, but only the space at the center can hold water.

Make space in your mind -- by removing that which does not provide aid to the task at hand.

Perfection is attainable -- but only through refinement. Refinement is not a process of addition -- it is a process of detraction. One achieves perfection (if not that, a state of relative harmony) -- by detraction.

SUBtraction is the wrong word. Subtraction implies 'make a change to determine an outcome' --- the same way a rocket moves through the atmosphere. Gather data, calculate findings, re-calculate intended course, proceed.

DEtraction is a more correct term. Detraction implies 'remove that which is not entirely necessary to the operation of the machine and then gather more data.' Detraction does not pertain to an outcome. Subtraction pertains to an outcome.

Originally Posted by subtract

take away (a number or amount) from another to calculate the difference.

Originally Posted by detract

reduce or take away the worth or value of.

Free yourself from the outcome to free yourself from the pain of failure. Failure again, is a construct of the mind. The mind is a prison. You are not your mind. You are the silent observer of your mind.


Or maybe in more simple terms.. Brake later, roll onto the go-switch sooner, turbocharge your motorsickle in the pits when the competition isn't looking, and above all else -- Stop underestimating yourself and your capabilities.

Above all else -- TRUST.

TRUST your machine and learn it's capabilities. Learn what it will and will not do, and expand your capabilities as an operator at the same time you expand the boundaries of the machine you operate.

And don't hold me liable if your isht breaks or if you crash your bike because you were listening to the random advice from some areshole on the internet instead of thinking for yourself.

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by corksil

Fear is the mind killer.
-Frank Herbert

FTFY

[corksil]

Fear is the little death that brings about total annihilation.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by alex.s

................. it's kinda frustrating but it is also liberating in a way. it's like, "oh. okay. it's me then" and you start picking everything apart about why you do certain things. why do you brake so early? why do you brake so much? why even brake at all? it starts beginning like you're reverting to a 3 year old asking why why why why but you keep digging until things start to make sense about why you aren't going faster. its a bunch of questions only you can answer, but the cool part is, anyone can ask.

That is exactly why I favor knowing your mind over controlling your mind.

"Nobody and nothing can answer the question but you yourself and that is why you must know yourself. Immaturity lies only in total ignorance of self. To understand yourself is the beginning of wisdom.

And I feel that to see what is true, from moment to moment, without any effort, but directly to experience it, is the only creative existence....... It is only when the mind is not agitated, caught in habit, trying to achieve a result, trying to become something - it is only when it is not doing that, when it is really tranquil, when there is no effort, no movement, that there is a possibility of discovering something new.

To be free of all authority, of your own and that of another, is to die to everything of yesterday, so that your mind is always fresh, always young, innocent, full of vigor and passion. It is only in that state that one learns and observes. And for this a great deal of awareness is required, actual awareness of what is going on inside yourself, without correcting it or telling it what it should or should not be, because the moment you correct it you have established another authority, a censor."- J. Krishnamurti

[Geezer-60]

Taoism has a saying that the idea (concept) is a fish, words are a net. After you catch the fish, you don't need the net. It's great when someone gets it, then can't explain it but can show how.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by Geezer-60

Taoism has a saying that the idea (concept) is a fish, words are a net. After you catch the fish, you don't need the net. It's great when someone gets it, then can't explain it but can show how.

I know of this, the problem with this is, after this fish is gone, they starve. It's always better to "teach a man to fish". Especially with something as complex as the mind, it's never the same and always evolving. Being competent enough to deal with the change is better than any single solution at any given time. To kinda agree with Taoism, once a concept has been grasped, it becomes a building block on the next level. To disagree with Taoism, once the block has been built, the fundamentals that built the first block are then reused again to build the next, + the new block and those before it.

I need to complete the OP

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by snot

I try to do this, I know I am my own enemy. What I fight with is letting go and letting the bike guide me instead of me guiding the bike.

Holly crap!!!! I missed this, we are gunna have a chat about this . The bike NEVER guides the rider, this will ALWAYS end badly.

Originally Posted by csmith12

Point the bike around your head, not your head around the bike....

[Geezer-60]

Chris, If you mix drinks like you mix metaphors, I wanna party with you! (not if riding of course!) We don't eat the fish, we take them home and put them in the coy pond we call our mind. And we need a new net for every fish (no 2 are the same).

Hope I have enough emoticons that I don't sound rude.

btw, liked the post that started this thread. Good advice to n00b like me.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by Geezer-60

Chris, If you mix drinks like you mix metaphors, I wanna party with you! (not if riding of course!) We don't eat the fish, we take them home and put them in the coy pond we call our mind. And we need a new net for every fish (no 2 are the same).

Hope I have enough emoticons that I don't sound rude.

btw, liked the post that started this thread. Good advice to n00b like me.

bwahahahahhahahahahaha!!!!! I take the best from everywhere, I aint too proud.

I do mix drinks like that but.... TOP SHELF BRAH!!!! Your invited and I will mix your's personally.

[csmith12]

I see that you are from PA. I find myself in PA every few times per year. Let's see if we can toast up one night over some good food and then ride the next day. Dirt, street or track is cool with me.

[csmith12]

ps.... I like me a good blackened swordfish too.

[Geezer-60]

Originally Posted by csmith12

bwahahahahhahahahahaha!!!!! I take the best from everywhere, I aint too proud.

I do mix drinks like that but.... TOP SHELF BRAH!!!! Your invited and I will mix your's personally.

It's a deal! I don't drive that way often these days ... but hey, I got a cool bike now!

[snot]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Holly crap!!!! I missed this, we are gunna have a chat about this . The bike NEVER guides the rider, this will ALWAYS end badly.

Let me clarify, I fight the bike trying to steer and being stiff on the bars, instead of looking ahead and staying loose on the bars.
Bike guiding me is really me listening to the suspension and letting the bike do its job.
Better?

[csmith12]

I feel ya.

[snot]

But I would love to pick your brain..

[ally99]

Originally Posted by csmith12

My brain is always hot!!!! You can bet that.

So I am not sure of the direction of this thread. Let's go with a question first... there is much in life that happens when your about to ride.

How do you filter out what should NOT be part of the ride?

Anything that's not about the ride should be filtered out. Don't think about tonight's dinner, the test you have tomorrow, or which delicious beer you're gonna grab out of the fridge as soon as you get home (oh wait, that may just be me).

Originally Posted by alex.s

once you know that you can do anything you want, the world is a much friendlier place. knowing what to want is the real hard part.

Abso-****in-lutely. Good quote.

Originally Posted by alex.s

it's kinda frustrating but it is also liberating in a way. it's like, "oh. okay. it's me then" and you start picking everything apart about why you do certain things. why do you brake so early? why do you brake so much? why even brake at all? it starts beginning like you're reverting to a 3 year old asking why why why why but you keep digging until things start to make sense about why you aren't going faster. its a bunch of questions only you can answer, but the cool part is, anyone can ask.

You are so right about this! I have learned a LOT about myself in how I ride, particularly when I first started out as a total noob who wasn't even too comfortable in a manual trans car. Your personality comes out a lot in your riding which is why there is such an infinite number of riding styles. Why do I brake so early? It's that damn rational side that tries to hold me back from everything. It's usually successful.
Once I realized, like you said, "Oh, ok. it's me then", I grew comfortable with starting at the back every session and riding my own ride.

Originally Posted by Motofool

To be free of all authority, of your own and that of another, is to die to everything of yesterday, so that your mind is always fresh, always young, innocent, full of vigor and passion. It is only in that state that one learns and observes. And for this a great deal of awareness is required, actual awareness of what is going on inside yourself, without correcting it or telling it what it should or should not be, because the moment you correct it you have established another authority, a censor."- J. Krishnamurti[/COLOR]

This reminds me of something @alex.s said to me once.
Awesome quote, Hernan. I'd never read that one before!

[Geezer-60]

Originally Posted by csmith12

ps.... I like me a good blackened swordfish too.

Somehow missed all this before, Yes for sure, I'm just north of Pittsburgh, Give me a ping if you are in the neighborhood! Good rides and seafood can be had here!