What is your WHY?
- Jake Johnstone
- Dec 12, 2025
- 3 min read
Motivation, as you may know, is incredibly important as a Mountain Biker. It's what gets us out there in the rain or the heat, fuels that extra lap after we've run out of snacks, and powers the hours of research we do before heading off on that summer road trip. But, as you may have realised, not all motivation is equal. In fact, there can be a huge difference in how we feel on the bike, how swiftly we progress towards our goals, and how we feel about our riding in general, depending on how we define 'success'.
In other words, where are you choosing to place the goalposts?
Task Vs. Outcome:
When I work with riders, we generally categorize their sources of motivation into two categories: Task or Outcome. Riders who find themselves seeking motivation from outcome-related goals will typically experience higher levels of pressure, fear, or anxiety, naturally taking away from their ability to use the skills they have been training. Whereas those riders who can shift their intentions and focus on task-oriented goals, almost always perform better as a result of a clear mind, less pressure, and smaller increments of achievement.
So, what is a task-oriented goal?
It's a form of motivation that is tied to the learning process itself, not the result. We're practicing for the sake of practicing. Rather than pressuring ourselves to perform a certain way. And the funny paradox is that because of the lower pressure, we'll generally perform better as a result. It's a win-win. We get to experience a better outcome while also having more fun. This is why some of the best riders and racers in the world often tell stories of getting their best results in the races where they just chased their friends and had fun, rather than trying to win.
Some more examples of task-focused objectives are (outcome/ego-oriented goal in brackets for contrast):
To practice getting to the 'float zone' 15 times in a 20-minute manual session (as opposed to executing manuals perfectly)
To ride A-Line because we feel like it'll be a fun challenge for where we are at (Rather than riding the trail/feature so that we can get an impressive photo to post online, or prove ourselves)
To 'press' all the way through the ramp and lip while jumping (as opposed to clear every jump on a trail)
To feel in control and confident through bermed corners (as opposed to go 15 seconds faster than my Strava record)
Maintain a stable, adaptable body position on steep terrain (as opposed to riding the steep section with perfect form or impressing friends with speed)
Nail slow-approach drop technique (as opposed to land the drop 'perfectly' every time or go bigger than peers)
Refine line choice accuracy (As opposed to choose THE fastest line or show off line difficulty to others)
Practice a metal visualisation technique for the sake of getting better at it (Rather than visualise the line of success so that I can ride completely free of fear all of the time)
To summarise, we don't have to be an egotistical jerk to get caught up operating from a place of ego or outcome-fueled motivation. It's only human, and we all experience pockets of it. The key here is to become aware of what is fueling our WHY at each moment in time, and developing strategies to adjust when necessary.
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