Rating: 3 water bottles (out of 4)Unlike many of the other “Lance books,”
How Lance Does It is not about cycling. Instead, it tries to distill the key factors that make Lance a champion into a digestable offering to the reader as “the Success Formula” in whatever it is that you do.
The reasons Lance was able to win The Tour seven times and is an international icon and celebrity spokesperson for cancer are not that surprising. According to Kearns, the formula entails having 1) a positive attitude, 2) clarity of purpose, 3) specialized intelligence, and 4) pure confidence.
Kearns offers many examples and explains the nuances within each category through examples of how Lance exemplifies each success factor. I especially enjoyed the stories of young Lance as a triathlete.
It’s a quick read (185 pages finished in two sittings) and makes you want to keep going. Kearns challenges the reader to look within and shows no remorse in proclaiming his disdain for the rat race, unhealthy living, and the consumerism mentality as it relates to success and perceived happiness in America. Amen, brother.
My biggest takeaway was Kearns’ reference to new-age author Don Miguel Ruiz, who said, “Don’t take anything personally. Nothing others do is because of you. What others say is a projection of their own reality. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be a victim of needless suffering.”
Labels: cycling
