Amber Neben’s latest column: Opportunity

I just finished reading the book Outliers. I think it is easy to believe that successful people like Bill Gates or Mozart were successful because of some extraordinary talent. And, some of their success was due to talent. However, as you read in the book you learn it was a combination of that talent, a passion to use it, and opportunity that propelled them to greatness. In fact, many of the stories that the book shares revolve around specific opportunities presented at specific times to individuals or groups. Obviously, they still had to seize it, grow it, and use it, but at some point there was an opportunity presented that helped pave their way.

I started to reflect a little on my own path from soccer through distance running to where I am as a cyclist. And please, do not take this the wrong way: I am not comparing myself to Mozart. However, looking back on my life, I see a path that took many twists and turns as different doors or opportunities opened while others closed. As a fifth grader, I dreamed of scoring the winning goal in the gold medal Olympic game, and as a freshman in high school, I led the county in goal scoring. However, also as a freshman, the cross country coach, who was my PE teacher, witnessed me running the mile in class and convinced me to come out for the cross country team. A new door was opened, a door that would have never opened if I had a different PE teacher. There was something God-given with the talent, and I still had to put in the hours of diligent and specific practice, but I first needed an opportunity and then a willingness to go through the door.

New goals

New goals were set. The dream shifted sports. I went on to run at the University of Nebraska on a cross country and track scholarship. I was always only a bundle of potential, though. Injuries eventually closed the running door. Opportunity lost? Maybe. Or maybe the process gave me the opportunity to develop the core mental, character, and faith intangibles that I have needed to reach a world-class level.

Years later in graduate school, I was introduced to cycling. The athlete in me had never left, and the dreams of gold and championships had never died, so when the new path appeared and the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, I took the risk and went that direction. Those pieces (or opportunities) involved me meeting my coach. They involved me transitioning from the mountain bike to the road bike at the same time as the new USAC national team (T-Mobile) started, which put me in the situation where I was surrounded by great riders and taken to Europe to race hard races against the best. What would have happened if I had never gone to a UC Irvine Cycling club meeting where I met my coach, or if USAC and Mr. Stapleton had never decided to help fund a national team project, or if they had done it five years earlier or later? Yes, I have had to be extremely focused and disciplined in the process of reaching and chasing my goals. However, I have also had opportunity that has been available at the right time that has matched my passion and abilities.

It is actually really fun for me to think about how I got to where I am now, and who has helped get me here. I definitely have not been the orchestrator of any of this, there is no way I could have planned such a path, but I have certainly enjoyed the journey. And now, as a veteran of many kinds of racing, experiences, successes and failures, I am excited to be in a position where I can help others find or recognize their own opportunities. Of course, at the same time, I am keeping my eyes open for the doors in my own life that I need to walk through.

New Zealand: opportunities present

For example, I just returned from the Tour of New Zealand, where I had the pleasure of working with a new, young group of American cyclists. We gelled as a team unit, and we helped Shelley win four stages and the GC. I had a chance to be involved with the leadership of the team and to share my knowledge with the next generation. I didn’t personally win the race, but I helped our team take advantage of opportunity and then to succeed. It was actually quite rewarding.

Going back to my own situation, many of you know that I am looking for that new door since I recently had one slammed shut. I raced for Nuernberger last year, and I had signed with them and their new sponsor for 2010. However, all of that collapsed back in late November. Since then I have been quietly searching, waiting, and listening. I didn’t want to jump just to jump. I have explored different ideas and promises that have failed to materialize. Now, however, I think things are starting to clear up. Part of the new opening will involve me racing with the national team for a good portion of the season while the other part will work itself out in the upcoming days.

So … Opportunity … I’ll ask you what I’ve been asking myself. Will you recognize it when you see it? Will you answer the door if it knocks? How can you help create opportunities for others to succeed? Hmmmm …

Amber Neben is a former world champion, Olympian, and seasoned international vet in her ninth year of full-time racing. In this column she hopes to give readers a different perspective on cycling, life as a cyclist, and the women’s pro peloton. You can all Amber’s column on VeloNews on her author page, follow her at www.amberneben.com or www.twitter.com/amberneben.