Life Lessons from Motorcycles: Seventy Five Tips for Mastering Your Controls

A motorcycle engine has no shortage of power, but to use it effectively, you have to understand how to control it. It’s not intuitive, but it is readily developed through training and honed through practice.
How you coordinate the controls on a motorcycle—i.e., the throttle, brakes, clutch, and shifter—allows you to manage the engine’s power. This requires that you know what the controls are, how they work, when to operate them, and how to use them together. Of course, it’s not quite that simple because you also need to learn to apply them differently for the different situations you’ll face. With lots of practice, you develop muscle memory, so when the unexpected does happen on the road, your automatic reaction will be more likely to be the correct one.
While you don’t come with throttle, clutch, or brakes, there are direct parallels and lessons on how to manage your power from motorcycle riding. Get to know what controls your thoughts, emotions, and actions through reflection, meditation, and time alone. Recognizing your patterns is a big part of making better choices. Then it’s up to you to practice these insights and this wisdom on a regular basis. Better choices become routine and make your responses to personal or work situations the best choices for you.