A recent question came from a woman who was struggling with motivation of a lack of racing, but also overwhelmed by the challenges facing so many, whether through health, work, finances or more.  She asked how she should approach motivation and the sense of despair.  My answer anchored around a simple point:

Being a part of a community.

Some athletes love being immersed and busy in a community, while others tend to stray toward more lone wolf in approach.  There is no right and wrong, but 2020 has shown the importance of truly being a part of something and engaging with others.  Lives and schedules have been upended, and many typical social interactions have been diluted.  Isolation is a real concern for many, right when we need each other.  Becoming more immersed and engaged in community is not just for your own benefit, it is for the other constituents in that community.  You can be additive to the group, while also extracting personal benefit.  This concept has become really apparent with the Purple Patch team, as I have never felt so engaged with the Purple Patch team, nor with the Purple Patch community at large.  While desperately missing my in-person interactions with our San Francisco crew, and look forward to a return (and amplification with the center experience looming), I have got to engage more with our global athletes.  It isn’t an in-person coffee or ride, but it is still powerful.  We are all navigating these times, and as more and more people engage online with each other, around the common thread of performance, we get to have a safe place to be vulnerable, share struggles, offer support, laugh and celebrate.  From Rob Castenda celebrating a racing opportunity, others seeking advice on managing life and schedules, or little tidbits of humor to spark a little fun in it all, it all becomes compelling.

As a member of the community, you have accountability.  You have a role to play.  There are two main pieces of each of our roles:

• Do something for yourself -- that is yours and makes you happy (extract)
• Do something for others -- contribute, help, support (addition)

Get this balance right, and we all win.

Live Bike Classes with Matt:  With community in mind, and sharing the horrors of my tough bike sessions, we want to provide an opportunity for Squaddies to join in the fun of the live bike coaching.  We are on a journey to radically expand our live bike coaching sessions, spanning across time zones for all Purple Patch athletes.  Currently, we have two main sessions, both led by myself.  In the coming weeks, we will expand to hit afternoon East Coast times and more. 

Currently, they are on Tuesday at 7 am PST and Thursday at 7 am PST.

The sessions will align with the Squad sessions, include several Purple Patch pros, and are really powerful experiences.  Bi-Directional feedback and coaching, a strong sense of accountability and challenge to perform, and a whole lot of fun and shared pain.  You can choose to add these to your Squad basis with a special introductory drop-in arrangement. Read all the details here:  https://education.purplepatchfitness.com/hc/en-us/articles/360053636253-Join-a-Live-Coached-Bike-Class-with-Matt-Dixon- 

Have a super week.

Cheers,

Matt and the Team