Journal
To the players
This is a short note to all of you who love the game.
To all of you who loved the game.
To those of you with ambition and drive.
But also quiet a longing for something different.
This is for all of you who remember the smell of the grass, the childlike curiosity, the healthy rebellion against rules and rigid authority.
The sound of the first touches.
The magic of the environment.
The frustration of not playing the way you wanted – but above all, the freedom to play however you wanted.
The freedom around the sport.
The bike rides, the laughter, the competitiveness.
The dirty jeans.
The dusty t-shirts and sweaty faces.
The vibrant environment.
Before everything turned pro.
Before the fitness coach stood with their face one centimeter from the iPad, deciding from numbers and colors whether you had a ”good” session or a ”bad” one.
Before xG, xT and xGs.
We are not twelve anymore. Neither on the field nor on the bike.
But is there another way?
Yes.
Will the field, and life in general, ever feel as innocent and vibrant again?
Probably not.
It seems like everything – the prep, the practice, the game and post game – is moving towards something more mechanical, more data-driven, impersonal, and zombie-like.
The level may be higher than ever, but it’s not as fun to play anymore.
It’s not as fun to watch anymore either.
(With some magical, amazing, fantastic, exceptions that still give us the chills).
And it’s not just the sport. It’s the absence of LIFE.
The absence of autonomy.
Creativity.
Freedom.
Perspective.
Distance.
Rebellion.
How we perform – and this is true for many people, in sport, in business and in the arts – dominate how we feel about ourselves.
How LIFE feels.
Constant comparison, endless screen time and the nagging feeling of never being or having enough, eat us alive.
We are not twelve anymore, but there’s still rebellion left to embody.
There are still bike rides left to enjoy, maybe this time with clean jeans, a crisp white shirt, sunglasses, and most of all… a smile.
Life is now.
Twelve was a long time ago. And the years ahead will move even faster.
No one knows how much time we have.
Despite the face‑in‑the‑iPad environment, the theatrical politics, and the endless noise — there is a different path available.
Right now.
Within you.
A different perspective.
A different source of motivation.
A different direction.
With more autonomy. More freedom.
Pump your tires.
Find – and with disciplined intention, choose – the perspective that brings life back into your bike ride through life.
That puts a smile on your face while playing the game.
Not always, of course. But as often as you possibly can.
Express outside what you feel is true inside.
Dance at weddings.
Train in the sun.
Play the way you want to play.
Enjoy the fruits of your hard work.
Celebrate your love for the game and celebrate life.
In one way, it’s the love of your life.
Inspire the device-people to look up.
To feel the sun.
To feel the game.
To take the bike.
Live your standards.
Photography by
