Switch Reflective Essay

Improved Essays
From reading the book Switch: How to Change Things when Change is Hard, I decided to write myself a destination postcard for something I have long missed since moving to Reno to attend college; riding a motorcycle to train and compete in the sport of motocross. I was forced to sell my last motorcycle in 2009, seen in the postcard above, when I moved to Reno for college. Now that I am nearly finished, I have decided to focus on obtaining a new bike (a major elephant motivating reward) and getting back to a proper level of health, strength, and fitness to mitigate any chances for further jeopardizing my risk for re-injury. To accomplish this change process, I have worked to script my critical moves, develop action triggers, tweak my environment, …show more content…
The postcard I have created of my past-future self will be posted on the fridge as a continual reminder of why I need to get in better shape. It will also remind me of what level of performance I hope to return to once I am able to begin riding in March 2016. Additionally, on a weekly basis, I will search web postings and local publications for motorcycles for sale in my area and set price range. This highly positive motivator will remind and inspire the elephant inside me as to why working out and bettering my level of physical fitness is so important. This is crucial for me because in my current situation, I am required to pay to play, up front and in cash. By this I mean, I will not be able to ride or enjoy any fruits of my labor until my final target completion date at a minimum. This is because I am still recovering from my last knee surgery at the end of 2014, and under the orders of my surgeon, was not cleared to return to strenuous activities of this level for one year at a minimum. Going further, I personally extended this date until the end of February 2016 for safe measure. Even then, I must still purchase a motorcycle. So all of my hard work will be required up front for at least three and a half months before seeing any potential in obtaining my desired reward. For these reasons, continually pointing …show more content…
I assessed my current fitness state and past evidence from my motocross career to create a sense of urgency for making the change. I found that on average throughout my 13-year motocross career until I moved for college, I required a surgery every 1.63 years. This alarmingly low number has made me SEE and FEEL the need for CHANGE in my approach to physical fitness. This evidence is not only gut wrenching, but eye opening. How I managed to have the drive to continue racing motocross as a kid through all of these injuries now inspires me on the opposite end of the spectrum. If I was able to get through all of that, I can absolutely build and create lasting habits to better my health and fitness, improving my potential for a healthy lasting return to motocross. This SEE-FEEL-CHANGE philosophy has truly inspired me, I will be the first to admit, my rider loves to analyze and think about potential solutions. So much so that the gears spin and spin and spin while I go nowhere. Seeing this evidence and feeling the pain I felt growing up has brought a new lens down over my field of view. It is not about how I get there, but just that I start moving and let the path carry me to my destination. No matter how many twists, turns, or steps back I must take, what is crucial is that I just start moving, figuring out all the

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