Lessons from my cycling trip

This summer I took a cycling trip to Paris with my wife. We came up with the idea to cycle from our home in The Netherlands to Paris in France. Roughly a 520+ kilometer trip. We took a slightly eastern route through the Belgian Ardennes.

The weather this summer made the trip harder. We often cycled almost touching 40 degrees. The daily rhythm was to get up early to avoid the greatest heat. We had breakfast, bought lunch at a local bakery, packed six liters of water for the whole day, the French countryside is very empty in some places, and finalized the plan for the daily route.

The cycling days were inspirational. Perhaps not completely new ideas, but worth to keep in the back of our minds as we navigate through our personal and professional lives.

1. We really don’t need many things. If your stuff is reliable and of great quality is what matters most. Less is more. Especially when you must carry every kilo of luggage over every hill.
2. Slow down to experience so much more. When you drive, you miss so much. But when you cycle, you see the changes in the landscape. You hear the sounds and you can smell the air. You experience the wind and the sun.
3. Doing something physical is the ideal way to get out of your head. The rhythm of cycling gets you into another state of mind and you get into a flow. Relax through physical activity.
4. A couple of daily climbs keep you in great shape. It improves your stamina and you’re challenged to make it to the top. Views are great from the top by the way..
5. You become even more aware of your physical condition. Taking good care of your body helps you to achieve your goal.
6. Spend time preparing! The weeks and months preparing were very important for the final experience. Finding the optimal route, testing the material and preparing for the daily journey pays off! Of course, things can go different once you’re on the road. But if you have a roadmap, it will make things so much easier.
7. If you can ride in the slipstream of your fellow cyclist, you can save 30-40% of your energy. And of course, you can assist your fellow cyclist to ride in your slipstream. Working together creates value for all!
8. A deep sense of fulfillment arises when you reach your goals because you had to make a real sacrifice.

If you were away from the office this summer, I hope you had a wonderful break. Many of us used the time for some reflection. Keep it alive by making your intentions habitual.

Hope this inspires.

Paul Donkers

If you’d like to know more about the route we took? We have it available in digital format. Just drop us a line and we’re happy to share it.

Paul P.J. Donkers is a sought-after global business coach and management consultant. More about his work and projects can be found via www.tencompany.org and via www.ikigaicoachinginstitute.com

Paul and his partners work since decades with leadership teams to help them create more value. If you want to have a confidential conversation, just reach out to us via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.