Last week I talked about riding to Jackson Hole through the Tetons National Forest. After the tarmac abruptly ended, I traveled on ten miles of the slick substrate.

Here are two lessons I learned about riding a motorcycle in slop that also apply to life

First, stay above it all. The best way to successfully ride a motorcycle through uneven terrain is by standing on the pegs. This approach allows you to stay lightly attached to the bike as it moves UNDER you. You did it as a kid on your bicycle, remember?

This reminds me of “staying above the fray” in life. Stuff happens. Stay above the fray.

Second, don’t fight it! Fighting the bike, over-correcting, and freezing into a rigid posture are sure ways to take a tumble off road and in life.

As the Serenity Prayer reminds us, there are things we can change, things we can’t and knowing the difference is the key to success.

I love what Oliver Wendell Holmes said about the troubled spots in life:

If I had a formula for bypassing trouble, I would not pass it round. Trouble creates a capacity to handle it. I don’t embrace trouble; that’s as bad as treating it as an enemy. But I do say meet it as a friend, for you’ll see a lot of it and had better be on speaking terms with it.

Today, as something unpleasant inevitably comes your way, maybe you’ll keep this in mind.

Watch a video recap of my three days with the professionals at the BMW Performance Center, including wobbles and spills (and a lot of cutting up!).