There is one mistake I am still making when mountain biking I focus on the obstacle rather than the path around the obstacle. Particularly, when I am getting tired.
Why does this matter?
Your bike goes where your eyes (focus) go.
If you focus on the obstacle involuntarily your bike will steer towards the obstacle.
I thought that is a useful metaphor
The neurodivergent life comes with an extremely sensitive sense of justice and fairness. Telling yourself not to focus on injustices, or imbalances in the system, is like telling someone with a broken leg not to focus on that broken leg.
I think ND or not we all have these situations, in which our focus is drawn towards unhelpful things: towards situations we feel wronged, towards systemic injustice, and so on. If we don’t manage to stop going in circles about these obstacles, we waste our energy, and won’t be able to find a way past.
Because, we focus on the obstacles that hold us back, instead of the path that allows forward momentum.
Sometimes when mountain biking the way past an obstacle is rocky, or muddy, or difficult to discern, and sometimes you have to walk-a-bike. Like during our ill conceived tour last month, finding a path forward can be exhausting, and challenging. But if you focus on the obstacle you become stuck (and in my case fall into the ditch–again!).
Here is my metaphor for the new academic year: focus on the path not the obstacles1.
- I should likely explain that not focussing on obstacles is NOT the same as not being aware of the obstacles. It is about not putting your energy into them and being too exhausted for anything else. ↩︎
Nathalie Tasler, PhD, SFHEA, MPhil, PGDip CCM, PGCert LTHE 