Everything I need to know about my career I learned in motorcycle rider education!

It seems funny to think that there could be similarities between career development and motorcycle school, but there was something that stood out to me so much that I had to share it. Although it really wasn’t that obvious to me at the time, about 5 years ago, but looking back, it was a comparison waiting to be recognized.

First of all, if your state offers a motorcycle rider training course and you are interested in getting your license, I highly recommend doing so. I think the MN course is 16 hours long, divided into 4 days of class and travel time. Not only do you get your license last (assuming you pass everything), but you also learn safety maneuvers, driving techniques, signaling and many other good things – in a fun and friendly environment!

(“Where is he going with this?!”, you’re thinking right now…! Stay with me, you’ll see!)

There was a drill we all had to go through that we called “couch on the road.” It was supposed to be like you’re driving down the street and a couch flies out of a truck and lands in front of you. We would drive into a big square of those orange cones (the ‘couch’) and the instructor, standing in the square, would point left or right at the last second and we had to go in that direction to get there safely. out of the way of the sofa. The secret was that you had to look away from the cones. If you continued looking towards them, you would bump into them. This is different than driving a car because your body position doesn’t really affect the steering wheel too much. But when you ride a motorcycle, the position of your head affects your shoulders, arms, hands, and really your entire torso.

(Hang with me, we’re almost there!)

Every time someone (myself included) hits the cones, the instructor reports the same thing; “Your eyes kept looking at the cones!” he would say.

When you are at work, do you keep looking at the cones or do you look away and safely avoid obstacles in the way? I hear so many people talk about how bad a project is going or a sale that won’t close, but they never look to the clear path to the left or right of the obstacle.

So the next time you see an obstacle, don’t look at it; there are likely to be others (co-workers, managers…) who will try to get you to stay with them. After all, misery loves company. Instead, focus your energy on the positive and you’ll avoid the crash!