Issue 180!
A One-Eighty can be a 180º spin on a skateboard, snowboard, BMX or other means of getting rad. A one-eighty is an about face. a complete turn of 180 degrees & something that you may do to avoid and abrupt accident. Hence the alignment with this week's issue title.
The original version of this phrase may have originated in the 1970s with "check it before you wreck it," which was used as a slogan by Nationwide Safti-Break Centers to encourage people get their car's brakes checked. The most well-known version is attributed to Ice Cube's "Check Yo Self," which was released in July 1993. But an even older example I found was Dion and the Wanderer’s Two Ton Feather which was released in 1966.
CHORUS:
And I say jump back, baby, jump back, baby
Check yourself, don't you wreck yourself
You know it may look like I'm crazy, baby, but I know better
Don't try to hand me no 2-ton feather
Any way you cut it, this phrase is about taking a step back and reconsidering your actions before you get yourself in trouble. So, like you know that I like to do, here's some questions to use to check yourself:
- Am I happy? - start with some yes or no questions to assess how you feel. Don’t spend too much time answering these —your first response is usually your truest.
- Am I grateful? - remind yourself all the time to appreciate what you have. This question prompts me to do that.
- Do I like my job? - We spend most of our time at work, so it’s important to feel good about what we do.
- Do I feel good? - When you're in a good mental and emotional place, you're better equipped to connect with the people in your life.
- What new things am I learning? - If you don’t have a good answer for this one, then you know it’s time to make a change. When you're not learning, you're not growing, and when you're not growing, it is easy to feel frustrated and weak.
- Where is my career going? - Do you want to wake up excited every day for what’s ahead? If you can’t identify your long-term goals, start thinking about them. You don’t need to know exactly what you want to do, but you should have an idea of the direction you want to take.
- How meaningful is my work? - This is very simple: hopefully you want to feel like your work matters. This applies for pursuits beyond your day job too!
- How can I get better at what I do? - The better you become at what you do, the bigger impact you can make, which leads to both more satisfaction and maybe even more income.
- What’s my number-one priority right now? - Maybe ask yourself this question every day. When you focus on too many things at the same time, you don’t make much progress at all.
- How can I achieve that number-one priority more quickly? - This question is not about being impatient — it’s about being creative. Most people underestimate their own ability to generate ideas. And that’s in part because they lack perseverance.
- What tasks should I stop doing? - We all waste time. It’s important to identify the tasks that distract you from your real goals, and stop doing them. (hint, I'm not talking about social media, stopping doesn't improve your well-being)
- What tasks am I procrastinating? - It’s always tempting to avoid difficult or uncomfortable tasks but putting them off until tomorrow (or months from now) will only make them that much more unpleasant when you ultimately must tackle them.
- How can I help one person today? - This one is kinda it for me. Pr.co interviewed me about this some time ago.
- What questions am I not asking myself? - Try coming up with a list of your own, and then bring it out every month or so. You may just find that your life is better simply because you took the time to ask yourself how things were going.
For the newsletter, I often I grab a select few from big lists like this but these all made the cut!
As always, thank you for reading!
with appreciation,
Jon
p.s.
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* I hope to see everyone this Friday at our #Twotoneturnsfive party! (We also just released a 2nd flash sheet of tattoos available that day!)*
Cycling
Ampler e-bike for Christmas
Christmas is almost here and the Ampler Santa is getting busier and busier. Order your Ampler e-bike before Wednesday to have it by Christmas!
How Quality Bicycle Products Decided To Compete With Its Own Suppliers
Though sales were strong, QBP was constantly worried about whether its suppliers would suddenly pull their products. “A pivotal point for us was deciding our own brands were important and that we were going to start investing in them," says Tauer.
Offseason Diary: Amity Rockwell Talks About Winter
Amity shares her offseason regime and how the onset of winter helps her prepare physically and mentally for the next racing season.
Startups, Sales & PR
A shared micromobility development model, and a Munich case study
What did McKinsey learn from one city’s first 100 days with e-scooters?
Neil Patel's 12 Rules for Issuing Press Releases
I'm not totally down with all of this but certainly some wisdom in here!
TiGr® BLUE mini+
A new TiGr lock is coming in 2020. Check it out!
Friends
5 QUESTIONS FOR: Apidura Ltd.
Cycling is often commended for being an activity with a low environmental impact. But when it comes to reducing impact in the lifespan of cycling products, there is still a lot of ground to cover. 5 QUESTIONS FOR is an interview series by my friend Lian with cycling brands that are trying to step up their game. The 1st in the series is with Tori Fahey of Apidura Ltd.
My friend Steven Hendrikx announced on Insta that he'll begin working with Pas Normal Studios
Joining PNS rides down his way in Belgium has always been worth the train ride. Looks like an exciting upcoming year for everyone involved. Happy for Steven and the PNS team!
Paradise Lost – Bikepacking the Wadden Islands
The Wadden Islands hold a unique combination of cultural heritage and nature – and part of the region counts as an official Dark Sky Area. But they are also likely to be gone in less than 100 years from now.
I literally missed the boat on this trip with several friends because my summer was just too jammed.
They did ride in paradise for three glorious days. But it’s a paradise that might be lost within the course of our generation if we don’t take action now.
If we love where we ride, let’s act accordingly.
Radness
Pathfinder Giro - Hills of Limburg
A new Pathfinder! That is rad! See you there on Jan 4, 2020!