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What We Can Learn From My Epic Failure
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Exactly one minute ago, I was supposed to be leaving, alone, on a bicycle, heading off to tear through the wilderness of the Western United States of America in search of a new beginning. I was hoping to go and spread human kindness, generated from my own two legs, across the cities and towns that I came across. I was hoping to tell the entire story here.
But I’m still here.
The sabbatical I was hoping to take was entirely contingent upon my being able to raise enough money to afford to take care of my wife and children while I was away.
But I just couldn’t do it.
You see, getting up to go and do such a feat requires more than just the will, it requires the means. Going on a bike trip does not require that one be a prolific bike rider exclusively, but, in my circumstances, it also requires one to be a successful fundraiser. And I’m not.
Yet.
——–
But I’m stubborn.
And I taunt the failures that taunt me.
And I hunt them down.
And I destroy them.
So this is not over yet.
——–
You see, one of my greater talents is my ability to assimilate knowledge and learn from it; and one of my other talents (that might also be a blemish) is my refusal to kneel. It’s like what you’d imagine a Borg doing while on the Nebuchadnezzar in the hot seat getting programmed.
Learn fast, don’t give up.
For less than a couple hundred bucks, I’d say that I’ve learned about as much already as a Sophomore in Public Fundraising at a university would have after several thousand dollars in tuition costs. And in two months instead of two years. I’m way ahead of the game.
So here’s the plan going forward:
I’m going to continue in my fundraising efforts for the next few weeks. After that, I have to postpone the whole event (unless I plan on biking through the Rockies in the fine chill of November). Assuming that the immediate continued efforts fail (and they will, barring some extraordinary and unlikely stroke of luck), I will proceed with a two-pronged effort. Simultaneously, over the course of the winter, I will make every effort to save enough myself to be able to pay my own way (which will be difficult because I am the sole income provider, and we live on the margin as it is), and at the same time, I will continue with fundraising efforts.
Once spring rolls around, I hope to dig this venture up out of its grave.
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16 Responses to “What We Can Learn From My Epic Failure”
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But I’m stubborn.
And I taunt the failures that taunt me.
And I hunt them down.
And I destroy them.
So this is not over yet.
My favorite thing I’ve seen today. You will dig the venture from its grave, and good on you for not letting it kick you.
@ Writer Dad - thanks
Where is the box?
@ Hayden - ?
I think Hayden means: Where is the DONATION BOX?!! Could you set one up on your site that people could donate directly into with a credit card?
I am SO proud of you for not GIVING UP. This is a pivotal moment in a life where people have the inspiration but maybe not the means or something else gets in the way, and they make a LIFE choice in that moment and let the dream go….and in doing that it’s almost like they let ALL their dreams go. They say to themselves, “Dreams aren’t real, Life isn’t real, it’s a joke. What was I thinking.” AND they slip into that mindset for the REST of their lives.
Without even reading this post: I would KNOW that that is NOT you. You are a great dreamer, a visionary and Liver/Lover of Life. Never EVER forget that.
My family have done all kinds of amazing things. My brother and wife road horses across the country, my sister walk part way across New England alone with a only her dog, I lived in the jungles and am again hungering for trek here at some point. Anyway, have you thought about sponsors. Even local ones. You could get local media coverage: radio and TV. Google “how to get sponsors” “How to get sponsors for bike trip” (trek, etc.) ” How to get media coverage”
There are NO rules and no limits. The dream only stops/fails when we stop doing/walking/biking toward the dream. Most accomplishments/dreams are not achieved on genius or exceptional skill; they are archived by people like you who were just too dang stubborn and determined to give up.
Another idea. Maybe start blogging more about the trip in detail (with maps/photo of where you want to go/your vision, etc.) and some of your relationship with your bike (history) and have a donation box and also invite sponsors to your blog. Maybe even have a WHOLE BLOG devoted to this venture. Like the guy who walked across America — Google FAT MAN WALING. http://www.thefatmanwalking.com/
He too had little money, a family, and now they are doing a film about him. Dereck, my friend, this is REAL…do you hear me? A REAL dream. A wonderful wonderful dream. And since ALL Life is dreams, we get to create what we want. Especially here in the USA or Canada, Australia, etc. Many countries it’s much harder or impossible for people to have dreams, let alone create them. When you are dying of starvation you don’t have many options. We do, and must therefore live them. You could even plan it for next summer and use all this time to raise funds and get ready. People usually love to someone rise above and live their dream.
You could also use the trip to raise awareness for something you believe in like Environment, human rights, animals, whatever. And get people to donate money for every mile you go and that money goes to a good cause. This money would be beyond what YOU need to do the trip.
You are in my thoughts and I am cheering for your team, my friend!!! Robin
And if you don’t do it, we will all kick your ass.
This time next year you may very well be gone and come back. Stay strong and learn from this. You will get there.
@ Walls - Deal.
@ Robin - Thank you for appreciating and understanding my intrinsic refusal to cave. You’re right, that’s not in my nature.
As to the fundraising: I’ve avoided the idea of publicly asking for donations because of some moral resistance to it. You see, no matter how much I hope to be able to do for others on my way, the entire event is still hinged on a personal desire of mine to break free from my present course so I can travel on another one. Asking people to cough up their hard earned money for my personal odyssey has a strange ring to it. However, I’ll think it over. If other options remain limited, I might give it a shot.
As to the others: I was able to contact the local papers, but they all wanted a rather specific timetable before offering some exposure, something I couldn’t provide until I gained some clarity about how quickly I might raise the funds. Ironically, the exposure could have helped raise the funds much more quickly.
I also looked at sponsors. This one is still my favorite option. Offering wide exposure to a business for helping me pay my way has a much more palatable ring to it. I did do quite a few mailings to local businesses here, but never heard back from any. I am going to try this again, but this time I’m making a better presentation, with more details in an effort to make it more compelling.
I’ll keep you posted.
I think, and this may be obvious so sorry for if being so, but a mailing list may not be enough. Do you know anyone personally that you could make a presentation to? Or contact the papers with regard to their writing a story for you looking for a sponsor (”Area Man wants stuff, seeks sponsor” sort of thing) which may get you in print quicker.
That and ask all your internet friends to pledge amounts from €5 up. Hey, it works for Obama, right?
I don’t think this project is in the grave. If that were true then you’d given up. Instead, I like to think that this is one of those things you put in a shoebox and on a shelf where you can get to it easily.
Since you haven’t given up, this is not an epic fail by any means. It just means you’ve encountered difficulties along the way, and since you’re going to try to resolve them, well, it’s too early to call the whole project a failure.
Hey thanks Steviedee. Stick around for a few days
Might reach for that shoe box sooner than you think.
[...] You also know that I failed. [...]
“You see, getting up to go and do such a feat requires more than just the will, it requires the means. ”
Dereck, but you can always start with one small step. That’s better than nothing. Take a small ride in your neighborhood for a start. My motto is “Just do it”.
I know it’s difficult to start something new but once we take that first little tiny itsy weeny baby step, the second step will be much easier.
Baby step is a giant step!
You can do it, Dereck.
Regards,
JJ
- Who doesn’t know how to ride a bike. I weep.
@ JJ - True, but remember that the bike trip isn’t just a trip with pleasure or exercise in mind–it’s so much more. It’s a catapult from one life to another. It’s a big step.
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[...] The sixty days came and went and I was still here. That was August. To read more details about the failure, read this. [...]