Learning to Have New Ambitions.

I wrote last week, “The Rare Gift of Attention”, and many of you responded positively. Thanks for that. But none of this attention-giving is natural for me. It’s actually often frustrating.

My attention is towards ambition. It’s ambition that drives me into new and great projects. I’ve prided myself on pushing the boundaries of business and adventure.

It’s surprising that after all these decades I can still look back over my shoulder and see clearly the mind of the 37 year-old Grayson.

In my 1990 November diary, I wrote this question,

“Next year, it will be ten years since Rocky Mountain began. Where are we now?”

I remember the satisfaction as I scribed:

“We are known as leaders first in Canada, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Maybe in Scandinavia, Italy, France, Benelux, England, Japan.”

“In the US, we're “in the mix”; we'll need another five years, maybe more. But we ARE competing. Our rider, Allison Sydor is rated third in the world on the XC racing circuit.”

I had such ambitious plans for Rocky Mountain Bicycles. During my prime growth years, when I was thirty-seven, my Mom was my age now. Seventy-two.

Occasionally I made the time to visit Mom on a Saturday morning. Secretly, I never thought of her as ambitious.

“Ah-ha, oh, good for you.” she politely responded as I showed her magazine clips about our bikes.

I hoped Mom was impressed, as I was with myself. But she wasn’t really.

She was more impressed when I told her I had phoned one of my brothers to find out how he enjoyed his thirty-third birthday. (We weren’t very close.)

Whereas for me, ambition was applying zeal and passion to a product on the world stage, Mom ambitiously sought out contentment in simple acts that she saw as true, honorable, and right.

Her ambition was to appreciate uncomplicated things: her four sons, nature, a warm house, and a husband that provided consistently.

Stuff I thought I could also do – when I got old.

She got to be ninety-two, still living on her own. Her shoulder was very painful, making it hard to dress, or grip the handles of her walker.

“What’s making you smile this morning, Mom?”

“I felt the carpet underneath my feet. I’m so thankful I was able to get out of bed today and put my feet on the carpet.”

I have a new appreciation of the simple things my mom has lived for, but I’ll always see things differently than Mom did.

In my thirties and forties I had a much clearer picture of where ambition would lead me. In my seventies, I still find myself looking into my past and wishing again for a concrete project or thing to build.

I’m definitely not rejecting the man I was at Rocky Mountain, but these days I’m better at understanding him. My passion and ambition is beginning to emerge at the juxtaposition of reading philosophy and meditating. All to study how to live an old person’s life well.

I’m more inquisitive at how to be an ambitious beginner in relationships, in spirituality, and especially in love.

If you’d care to share with me, (because your perspective is unique) I’d like to listen.

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I would love to connect with you on LinkedIn and Facebook​

See you next week,

Grayson

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