Messing Up: Hard Lessons from the Bike

Failure is a tough but powerful teacher. From gripping too tightly on Paris-Roubaix’s brutal cobbles to underestimating the Col du Joux Plane in the French Alps, I’ve learned that success—whether in cycling, business, or marketing—comes from following advice, staying composed after setbacks, and respecting every challenge. Messing up isn’t the end; it’s where real growth begins.

1/20/20253 min read

Failure isn’t fun, but it’s often where the best lessons are found. On the bike, as in business, I’ve learned more from my mistakes than from the smooth rides. Here are three cycling challenges where I messed up—and the lessons that have shaped how I approach business and marketing.

1. Paris-Roubaix: Follow the Plan, Stay Balanced

Known as the “Hell of the North,” Paris-Roubaix is legendary for its brutal cobblestones, or pavé. Before the race, I was advised to hold the handlebars loosely to absorb the relentless vibrations. But in the heat of the moment, gripping too tightly felt safer. By the seventh sector, my hands and wrists were in agony.

Then came the infamous Trouée d’Arenberg—a 2.3km stretch of jagged cobbles, crashes, and mud. Riders fell all around me, and to top it off, a drunk spectator leaned into the road. I clipped his shoulder but somehow stayed upright. Despite the pain, I soldiered on to finish.

Business Lesson:
  • Execution matters as much as the plan. Advice and strategies are useless if you fail to follow through. Gripping the bars too tightly, like micromanaging a project or deviating from a campaign plan, can result in avoidable pain.

  • Resilience keeps you moving forward. Chaos is inevitable—whether on cobbles or in the marketplace. Staying balanced, calm, and focused on your goal can get you through even the toughest moments.

2. Amstel Gold Race: Don’t Let Frustration Derail Your Strategy

Amstel Gold is famous for its narrow roads and 35 short, punchy climbs. My day got off to a terrible start: two punctures in the first 30km. Frustrated, I rode too hard to make up lost time, burning energy I’d need later.

By the time I hit the steep climbs in the final 100km, I was running on empty. Every climb felt steeper, every kilometer longer. It was a painful slog to the finish, and I knew I’d sabotaged myself.

Business Lesson:
  • Setbacks are inevitable—how you react defines the outcome. Frustration can push you into poor decisions, like overextending your resources or rushing a marketing campaign. The key is to pause, regroup, and stay focused on the long-term strategy.

  • Consistency beats bursts of effort. In marketing, sporadic pushes won’t deliver sustainable success. Like pacing in a long race, consistent effort over time builds momentum and drives results.

3. Col du Joux Plane: Respect Every Challenge

During the Petite Boucle with Café du Cycliste, I rode a stage from the 2022 Tour de France. The highlight was the Col du Joux Plane, a climb I’d tackled years ago in the Étape du Tour. I underestimated it, thinking, “I’ve done this before—it’ll be fine.”

But it was a scorching day, and I failed to hydrate properly. Halfway up, dehydration hit hard. My energy disappeared, and the final kilometers were pure survival. I made it to the summit, but far below my potential.

Business Lesson:
  • Overconfidence is the enemy of preparation. Assuming something will be easy based on past success leads to mistakes. Whether launching a product or tackling a familiar project, every challenge requires respect and preparation.

  • Manage resources carefully. In cycling, it’s hydration; in business, it’s budget, time, or team bandwidth. Proper resource management ensures you can sustain performance and deliver results.

The Takeaway:

These rides weren’t my best performances, but they were some of my greatest teachers. Here’s what I learned:

  1. Follow advice and execute the plan. It’s not enough to have a strategy—you need to stick to it.

  2. Control your reactions to setbacks. Frustration and overcorrection can derail your progress.

  3. Respect every challenge. Even familiar opportunities require preparation, humility, and resource management.

Messing up isn’t the end—it’s a step toward getting better. What’s a mistake you’ve made in business or life that shaped your growth?

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