Fear limits Mountain Biking progression, it's true... However, what is often less spoken about is...

Fear also creates a 'container' or safe zone in which growth can happen.

When we consider fear in the context of Mountain Biking, an inherently high-risk activity, it's plain to see that playing within the bounds of this ever-expanding safe growth zone is probably the key to achieving the progression and fun we desire, and also keeping ourselves in one piece. So, the question many strong-intermediate to advanced Mountain Bikers naturally come to ask - as they push the parcel and explore their own personal limits on progressively harder and faster, higher and higher consequence terrain - is: "How do I know when the fear is legitimate? And how do I tell when it is a false alarm?" I encourage you, as always, not to resist the simplicity of this answer... Only when growth (technical skillset) is bumping up against the boundaries of our container is it time to break through it. So the feeling to look for is that of a fear that feels a bit obsolete, like there's a new step you’re ready to take. A section of the trail you can now look at through a new 'set of lenses'.

When you visualize yourself riding the trail/feature/section in question, whatever you should feel should have a note of exhilaration, excitement, eagerness... rather than doubt, or dread.

"But Jake, what do I do if I feel like I'm now being 'over cautious' and riding around features I know I have the skills to ride?"

If you find yourself asking this question, I'm glad. Because at the end of the day, I'd far prefer to hear about a rider's technical skill outweighing their confidence. Take a moment to pause, reflect, and imagine the potential outcomes (or perhaps real past experiences), if it were the other way around... more confidence than skill...

So, building skills and challenging ourselves within these 'safe bounds' needs to come first. Only once you truly feel the positive results of those skills put to work over an extended timeframe, the mind, the body, and your entire nervous system relax into doing rather than thinking as you're riding terrain that was previously at the upper limit of your safe bounds, is it time to raise the ceiling, and move into a whole new phase of your progression. This is where mental strategies to work with not against fear come in.

For this exact reason, I don't just teach 'mental strategies to overcome fear'. That would be downright negligent, not to mention stupid 😂 Rather, we lean on our signature Full Circle Framework and teach said mental strategies along with the technical skills, equipment setup, and physical strength, agility, and mobility. Working this way allows me and our mentees to not only experience rapid growth within those safe bounds but also to expand that container at an exponential rate - all while staying safe and remaining a responsible Mum, Dad, Husband, Wife, Boss, employee.. etc etc. who does not explode themselves from reckless behaviour on the weekends. To wrap up, distinguishing between a legit fear that is keeping you safe and a false alarm that is holding you back, like any skill, takes time and practice to hone. But the first step is always awareness.

I'll leave you with this final thought: This feeling, this knowing, is very, very different from the intellectual level, 'I know I can do it', vs the deeply felt feeling and belief, that 'I truly KNOW I can do it, and although there's still a healthy level of nerves (alertness), I'm bloody excited to drop in and experience it."

See you on the trails! - Jake

Ps. if you feel called to explore your own personal riding journey on a deeper level, book a 'no-strings' strategy call in my calendar and we'll get you rolling.