On a recent training ride, I hit a traffic light mid session.
We often plan routes and sessions meticulously to avoid interruptions like this.
An older version of me may have been quite annoyed.
If it had landed mid-interval, I might’ve let it throw off my whole day.
From the outside, that sounds ridiculous.
But let’s be honest - we’ve all been there on this, or very similar situations.
I didn’t know the light was there.
I couldn’t control it.
I definitely couldn’t will it green with my mind.
So, what’s the point in letting it get to me?
Things will happen that frustrate you.
Fact.
That get in the way.
That feel like they’re derailing your plan.
Sometimes they’re avoidable, and when they are, we should learn from them.
But other times, they’re totally out of our control.
And when that’s the case, letting frustration take over isn’t just unhelpful - it’s performance-draining.
Anger and stress narrow your focus.
They pull you out of flow.
They can trigger a downward spiral in mood, energy, and output.
Yes, a traffic light is minor.
But it’s a perfect stand-in for the countless little things that chip away (and cumulatively add) at us daily - if we let them.
By Joe Staunton
MY RECENT STORIES
Mindset
17th March 2025