“Everyone wants to win. But to truly succeed whether it is a sport or at your job or in your life you have to be willing to do the hard work, overcome challenges, and make the sacrifices it takes to be the best at what you do.” -Ronda Rousey, from her book “My Fight/Your Fight”
Never mind the fact I went into a 6 hour life or death full on open cranial surgery (April 2010) to remove a brain tumor that took up half my brain, but just within BMX I face so many challenges, sacrifices, and have to put in 100% every time I ride or I may end up in the hospital. That’s the reality of our sport and life in general to some degree.
We always face fear, challenges, and uncertainties. The hard work, persistence, and determination to be better than our previous selves are what gets up past these challenges. I started to take all of this even more serious after having a full reconstructive surgery (November 2015) on my right knee and an ACL and meniscus tear.
I don’t see it as hard work anymore. I see it as just something that needs to be done to get to where I want to be and then where I want to progress from there. That’s the beauty of life. It never stops providing an opportunity to grow and progress in any facet of our lives. Once we shift our minds from seeing an experience as “good” and “bad” to seeing all experiences as an equal opportunity to learn from and progress from, things become clear and precise.
A few days ago I was told the two brain tumors I currently live with are stable after shrinking for two years, thanks to Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (November 2012). Then I was told I face two more challenges. I now have 2 new brain tumors residing on the opposite side of my brain that the original tumor operated on (April 2010) was taken from. This makes me a little uneasy seeing as I was told the original tumor was benign yet new masses are appearing in other areas of my brain. Again, that’s life and the cards I am dealt and I have to play the game with these “cards” now. That shit hand isn’t going to stop me!
For me, #BMX is my everything. It’s my obsession, my state of meditation, my hobby, my career, my life, and my only option. I know I’ll never ride at this level forever, but I do know the hard work I’m putting in on and off my bike right now will benefit my career and what I create for when I’m no longer riding at a professional level. For now, BMX is what keeps me motivated to not let anything or anyone hold me back from accomplishing my goals in life and I’m forever grateful for my parents getting me my first bike.
I live, breath, eat, and sleep BMX. I feel that’s what it takes to do something you dream of in life. There are no excuses, just the ones we lean on in times of hardship and fear. I know first hand that’s not an option to living the life of our dreams. 💚✌️
-Josh P.