Biking, Board Members, and the Bullsh*t of Being Uncomfortable

Unpopular Opinion: NOT a fan of Moab mountain biking (MTB). Perhaps it’s the dozen or so crashes that I’ve endured during my two visits, spewing such a definitive opinion. Or, the fact that Moab is ALL rock, ALL the time. Relentless boulders rattling every bone in my body as I hang on for dear life hour after hour. Confidence killed, body tortured. 

While navigating this vast, desert landscape, I’m scared shitless 75% of the time. The remaining 25% consists of snack breaks and the rare reprieve from rock city. My fear is warranted. Porcupine Rim, which I recently biked (mostly hiked), is considered one of the most dangerous trails in the world, with Yungas Road in Brazil being the gnarliest. “Get out of your comfort zone,” experts state. I did so on my first visit to Moab in 2023. Why return? What am I trying to prove? My skills have progressed since my last visit; it will be better. I’m riding with loved ones, so it will be better. I have the right bike (big travel), perfect pedals (flat), and pads (elbow & knee), it will be better. Still not better…

Please know I’m uber proud of riding the Whole Enchilada, the last section of which is Porcupine Rim. This 30-mile trail starts with a climb to just over 11k feet and ultimately descends 8k feet via rocky terrain (as previously noted) and cliff-hugging features, like the Snotch. I did it…and didn’t die! Lots of bumps and bruises, but no broken bones or blood. Big thanks to my protective pad sponsor, bubble wrap (shout out Amy). But I didn’t have fun. Too many falls to do so. I can hear my therapist now, “Why would you put yourself in that position?” You possess the necessary experience to know what you like, don’t like, along with your strengths and weaknesses. 

Pushing oneself outside his/her/their comfort zone is a persistent mantra in the corporate world. I did just that when I left a very “comfortable” position at Commission Junction (CJ) in 2015 after a 16-year tenure and entered the start-up arena, working at three different start-ups over five years. Although financially lucrative, none of them—for various reasons—aligned with my strengths or values. In short, I struggled most of the time, killing myself to fit inside a box that wasn’t mine.

Comfort is often equated with complacency. One start-up board member opposed my long tenure at CJ, preventing the CEO from hiring me. Interpretation being, “she doesn’t possess the work ethic required.” He disregarded the fact that I was promoted eight times at CJ, relocated to the West Coast to run a global division, and traveled relentlessly to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual net revenue. Even better, ask my daughter about my work ethic and rare presence at home. Asshole. 

Taking on initial risk IS necessary to expand one’s scope and find what brings you joy. And, comfort doesn’t mean “no bad days.” It doesn’t mean no long hours for weeks, months, or even years. But, if you’re leveraging every tool in your box - repeatedly - trying to force a fit that wasn’t made for you, move along. Failure IS a lesson. Sometimes the lesson is to quit: a relationship, job, hobby, etc. Following my retirement in 2022, it took several years to find ME again. I was lost and low on confidence, searching for my superpowers that had been kicked to the curb by my former start-up employers. Was it worth it? I don’t know. But being able to retire at 49 and having the space to heal was a stellar silver lining.  

I love being comfortable. Comfort is finding the people, places, and things that bring out the best in you. CJ did that for me. Park City does that for me. Moab did not.