Free is a met·a·phor…
I guess the slow memory of COVID has sparked interest in getting new bikes. The newest “thing” is gravel bikes. The new concept of gravel bikes (I do feel the concept has staying power for sure) has people interested in getting one.
Recently, this spike in interest, has led many people to ask me, “Hey, can you help me find a bike”? My immediate response is to NOT answer. I want to hear the athletes' intentions with the bike. They will invariably TELL me what they need. It starts like this. “I’m looking for a free or used gravel bike, can you help me?”.
Here comes the wisdom from Chad 😉. Metaphor: A thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else, especially something abstract.
I find helping someone hunt for a used or free bike, is not starting on a path for success. Much like life, the investment in time, my time, your time, is symbolic of the value you put on the “bike” or, into a relationship, or your health. Take the time, and get a good value. But pay the “money”.
Free is good sometimes. But most of the time you will get an ill-fitting bike or one that needs lots of work. Hello! That’s exactly what a relationship needs. It needs WORK. It needs time. It needs your investment. Recently a friend of mine got a bike off eBay. Can you guess the end game of that one? Yeah, it was in the trash heap. I’ve put more effort into my relationships. I’m consciously NOT trying to treat any of them like a bike I got off eBay. Ole’ saying? You get what you pay for, or invest in.
Fit: That bike for free, or of some online bike discount spot, may, or may not fit. You order it. You receive it. You build it. You get on it, and well, something is off. Top tube too long? Crank arms too short? Something is wonky. Relationships are the same way. Relationships take time to fit. You can’t just expect them to work right out of the box. Friendships, families, and loved ones require effort and energy. If you think treating them like you do an eBay bike, that relationship likely will struggle or end up on the heap.
Invest :)
Thanks for listening to my talk 🤣
Tailwinds,
TheChad