About 18 months ago, or so, I took up cycling. In the beginning it was just an in-home spin bike, similar to those in most gyms. Than a year ago I bought a used bike - a Colnago with Campagnolo components. It has been a tough transition from the spin bike to the road bike, and an even tougher transition from training like a power lifter to training like a cyclist.

However, I love it. I love forcing through the pain, digging for more power on a climb, the whole thing. And, as the video below points out, it is totally a mind game.

It's All About the Mind: The Psychology of Cycling

Jim Taylor, Ph.D., internationally recognized for his work in the psychology of performance in sport and business, looks at the concept of prime cycling. Learn how to define your cycling goals and get motivated to achieve those goals using techniques to measure your confidence, intensity and focus.

Series: "UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine presents Mini Medical School for the Public" [8/2013]

David Beckham's Best Goals (Videos)

Okay, so yesterday I posted a satire piece from The Onion that poked fun at David Beckham, probably the best-known soccer player on a planet where soccer is still the most important sport (outside of the U.S.).

Beckham could make a soccer ball move in ways that seem to defy the laws of physics, a skill so remarkablke that a film was named after his futbol magic, Bend It Like Beckham.

A couple of weeks ago, after Beckham announced his retiurement and played his final home game for Paris Saint-Germain (he was not named for the line up in tomorrow's last game of the season, so his career is offically over), The New York Times posted these videos of Beckham's most beautiful and mind-bending goals. Enjoy!

Beckham’s Best

May 16, 2013By THE NEW YORK TIMES

Some highlights of David Beckham’s best goals over his long career in England, Spain, the United States and France.

… And some of his best goals in M.L.S.

… And from his days at Manchester United

… And even a few from his season at Paris St.-Germain.

… And just for fun

Male eXperience - The 20 Steps To Authentic Manhood

Over at Male eXperience, Graham Phoenix recently posted an excellent article on how masculinity is changing as we move deeper into the 21st Century, offering "20 Steps to Authentic Manhood."

Below is the introduction to the article followed by the list of 20 Steps. To read more about each step you will need to follow the title link to Graham's blog - and while you're there, have a look around. Graham is the real deal offering real growth opportunities for men.

Personally, #s 7 and 19 are the most relevant for me going into the new year - those are the ones that need the most work right now. What are yours?

The Winds Of Change For Men – The 20 Steps To Authentic Manhood

by Graham Phoenix

What has happened to the concept of masculinity? What has happened to authentic manhood? Do men have a passion for life any more? What are the winds of change for men? It is up to each man, individually, to find his own answers. There are, however, some simple steps you can take to get there.

The truth is that you should live a full and thrilling life because you know what your passion for life is. You can be successful and powerful by owning your authentic manhood.

In 1960 in Cape Town, South Africa, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, gave his famous ‘Wind of Change’ speech. In it Macmillan acknowledged that black people in Africa were, quite rightly, claiming the right to rule themselves, and suggested that it was a responsibility of the British government to promote the creation of societies in which the rights of all individuals were upheld. He said,


“The wind of change is blowing through this continent, and whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact. We must all accept it as a fact, and our national policies must take account of it.”

I would suggest that in this decade the ‘Wind of Change’ is blowing through the men’s movement and through men, as a whole. Men are finding their strength and their voice not as a dominant force but as a compassionate, supportive force. Men can now stand up in their power in the knowledge that they can be open, honest and authentic in their actions.You only have to look at sites such ‘The Good Men Project’ and ‘The Art of Manliness’ to see the extent to which attitudes are turning.

♦◊♦

‘Male eXperience’ has developed as a site in this time; it is now time for it to develop as a movement. ‘Male eXperience’ has drawn together men from around the world, it is now time for those men to draw further together into a movement. Men work best by joining forces, it is time for men to join forces under the banner of ‘Male eXperience’.

It is appropriate for me to lay out what can bring men together and what could hold us together. I would like to propose the ‘Male eXperience Manifesto’, our shout out to the world. These are the winds of change blowing through men.

♦◊♦

The Winds Of Change For Men – 20 Steps to Authentic Manhood

1. Live In Your Core
2. Understand Your Influences
3. Have Your Own Standards
4. Know Yourself As A Man
5. Know How You See The World
6. Be Present
7. Believe In Yourself
8. Be Grounded
9. Seek New Goals
10. Be Authentic
11. Pick Your Friends Wisely
12. Get A Mentor
13. The Process, Not The Outcome
14. Be Passionate
15. Accept Change
16. Accept Uncertainty
17. Be A Servant Leader.
18. Be Intimate
19. Know Your Own Power
20. Live Your Full Potential

Cindy Wigglesworth - Building Spiritual Intelligence in the New Year

Cindy Wiggleworth is the author of SQ 21: The Twenty-One Skills of Spiritual Intelligence and in this article from Huffington Post, she offers suggestions and support for setting and achieving a spiritual intelligence goal for 2013. For reference, I have included her chart of the 21 spiritual competencies.

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A Spiritual Intelligence Goal for the New Year
Posted: 01/04/2013

Cindy Wigglesworth - Author of SQ21, Leadership Coach and Corporate Consultant

"Spirit," by whatever name, is not measurable. But skills like spiritual intelligence (SQ) skills can be measured. And measurement is useful -- it points to where we can grow and improve.

My belief in the value of measuring SQ was confirmed when I recently heard from a woman named Jane who had scored a "0" on one of the skills in my SQ21 spiritual intelligence assessment.

"It really got my attention in a way I would not have expected," Jane said. "I was shocked. Good grades and test scores have always been important to me." Initially it was a bit hard to take. But as Jane began to read the report that came with her scores, she saw a list of some possible reasons for her score. A moment of recognition occurred. She had deep wounds she was still carrying from the church she attended as a child. She left this church with anger in her heart. The report and coaching suggested she might want to heal the wounds from her past by trying to forgive and seeing what was good in her earlier church experience.

She prayed about it and opened herself up to the guidance of spirit. Eventually she took the steps to reconnect with the choir director and then the minister and his wife. She was astonished by what she experienced. "I had forgotten the love because I had focused for so long on my anger and pain," she said. "It was that 'zero' that opened the door to my readiness to listen to spirit and to find the courage to commit to opening up to a part of my past I was afraid to be with. I did need to go back, in some way, and allow healing to begin. I didn't even know this love was still in me."

I have heard a great many such stories over the years. There is nothing quite like the stark reality of a number to propel us into reflection and possibly into action.

As we look to another new year, I am planning my own focus area for personal growth. Perhaps you are doing the same? Here are some ideas if you want to plan for some SQ growth:

1. List the areas where you would like to improve. Some common areas: letting go of the past, forgiveness; focusing on what is good, gratitude; having patience with others; developing humility. Make your own list. Then pick the one idea which is most important and focus on that.

2. Measure your current status. This is like knowing your current weight before you start a diet. Consider if there is an assessment you might want to use to see where you are today so you can plan next steps and chart improvements. If there isn't one you can write out a paragraph about why you want to improve in this area. What do you want to stop doing? Or what are you trying to change?

3. What are your desired outcomes? Be as clear and specific as possible. For example: "I will know I am successful when I can go to my parents' house for dinner and not feel triggered." How will you feel when you successfully develop this skill? Use emotions words like "I will feel calm," or "I will feel joyful."

4. Find good tools or practices to help you achieve your goal. Is there a meditation, forgiveness or other practice you would like to learn or recommit to practicing? A book to buy? A workshop or retreat to attend?

5. Think about tangible ways to track your progress. Could you journal at the end of each day? Consider who could give you feedback about your progress; for example, could a loved one give you positive feedback when you show more patience than usual? Be clear about what kind of feedback you want -- if you find corrective feedback helpful, ask for it. If not, ask for positive feedback only.

6. Buddy-up. Find a friend who wants to grow too and provide cheerleading support for each other! Agree to a regular check-in for mutual support. Perhaps you can take the same class together?

Let me know in the comments what areas you are focusing on, and what tools work for you. Who will be supporting you?

Measurement is our friend. Let's set clear goals, measure fearlessly and grow abundantly in 2013!

For more by Cindy Wigglesworth, click here.
For more the spirit, click here.