The average human lifespan is absurdly, insultingly brief.
If you live to be 80, you’ll have had about 4,000 weeks.
But according to a book that my wife has been reading, that’s no reason for despair.
Confronting this fact – and how little control we really have – is the key to a fulfilling and meaningfully productive life.
The book is called Four Thousand Weeks and is by the author Oliver Burkeman (you can read a review here).
Four key concepts
- The Finite Lifespan: The title highlights that an 80-year life spans only about 4,000 weeks, a realization intended to bring perspective rather than despair.
- It argues against “Efficiency Traps“: trying to do more things faster just leads to more demands on our time, rather than a sense of calm or completion.
- Embracing Limitations: Instead of trying to “get everything done,” the book advocates for strategic underachievement and accepting that you cannot do it all.
- Time as a Resource to Live In: Rather than viewing time as a resource to be “used” or managed to produce, the book suggests time is the very medium of life itself.
What I take out of all this and how it fits into cycling is the following:
Efficiency traps
Don’t try to short cut your training, and ensure that you take enough time to warm up, warm down and stretch. And don’t try to do too much – that will only lead to non-completion and despair.
Embracing Limitations
Very much linked to the above point – you simply can’t “do it all” in your cycling. We are not pro athletes, not even close, and I think we can all sometimes get a bit down that we’ve missed a session, or someone we know on Strava is out doing more than we are. Don’t stress about it, we do what we can.
Time as a resource to live in
Embrace every moment you get on the bike, live in that moment, focus on the feelings and the nature in which you are riding. Even if you’re riding inside, enjoy and experience the sensations in your body during your workouts.
There are a few takeaways from the book as well, and a couple that I find really useful are:
Have a “done” list
Keep track of what you have finished / accomplished, don’t simply focus on what you still have to do in your training. In other words, celebrate the journey to getting fitter and stronger, don’t simply keep looking at what you still have to do and where you want to get to.
Focus on One Big Thing
Concentrate on a single, meaningful project at a time. So for me I’m currently focusing solely on increasing my FTP. I’ve sidelined worrying about losing weight, or getting better at sprinting, or even increasing my VO2. Think about what one thing would help your riding and focus on that.
Precious Time
Those four thousand weeks are precious, and riding your bike is a joyous part of that time.
I’m going to embrace it, experience it, and live it deeply.
What I’ve been listening to while writing
James Blake – Death of Love
Super atmospheric new tune from the electronic supremo James Blake. You can always rely on him to make you stop and listen and devote your attention to his music and haunting lyrics. Enjoy.
