If only

Tis getting to the end of the cycling season and the "if only's" are taking hold.

If only I had...
...done this,
...not done that,
...more of these,
...bought some of those,
...taken the advice of,
...not listened to,

Not to be confused with that you've done anything wrong in the past, but rather how you can improve in the future.

This is of course a good thing. Without the second guessing as to how you could have done better, which happens after every race, as well as every season - you might as well quit (and a lot of people do). I think you need that questioning of your performance to reignite the passion to try & succeed and meet your goals.

For example, I can attest to thinking during and immediately after every Ironman race I participated in (and I've done 9) that this will be the last one I ever do. It took as little as later that evening or the very next day to get the "if only's", and I was hooked into doing another one. Of course that's been over 10 years now - but I know I've got at least another one in me.

The "if only's" apply to life as well - what can I do to be a better husband, lover, father, friend, pilot, smoothie maker, blogger, etc.

A lot of people coast in their comfort zone without ever fully applying the "if only's" they themselves identify. I'm as guilty as that as anyone - as it takes time & commitment to continually apply the corrections or changes necessary.

I think athletes are better suited to try new things -especially when it applies to their athletic performance - though whether that makes them better at adapting to changes necessary in the rest of their life is an open question.