There is no such thing as accidental success. Period.

Success in cycling is no different than success in business, family, and life in general. It doesn’t happen by accident. I have been blessed with some amazing experiences and associations with some truly incredible people. I have found that in order to be truly successful you must create your success. It doesn’t matter if you competitively race or just enjoy riding. Your success in your joyful rides are subject to the same principles of success that an avid competitor must follow. It takes hard work, intention, commitment, determination, etc. Even the joy rider has to make sure to carve out time to ride, and not let every other challenge get in the way. Too many distractions in this world lead us away from our goals and our dreams. Even if you only dream of enjoying some decent fitness and the occasional group ride you will want to understand these principles of success.

Do you think you can get lucky? Maybe, but in my experience success is something you have to create. This world will not hand it to you. Your dreams don’t just magically come true and your life will only ever end in “happily ever after” because you work your @## off to create your dreams.

You can create success. And let me tell you, success begets more success. It doesn’t take untold riches or fame to finally be successful. It takes hard work, clear commitments, unflinching determination, and a ton of intention. Show me a successful person and I will show you these characteristics.

It is an absolute lie that some people are just born into success, or are born with a natural ability to be successful. If you are a human being and currently breathing then you have the power to choose. The power to create. The power to be successful. It is not some right reserved to the wealthy. It is not some gift only some special few athletes enjoy. Success is up to every one to create for themselves. In fact, I know some very wealthy individuals who are not even remotely successful. Their wealth was gifted to them. They are not successful they are merely living a lifestyle that was given to them. Imagine what these people could do if they were driven, determined, committed and intentional about being a better version of themselves today than they were yesterday? If they were driven to accomplish something today that was greater than their yesterday? You would then see some success start to be born and with their resources some pretty epic accomplishments.

I refuse to be average. I refuse to believe that the circumstances we are born into dictate our potential and our possibilities. I know that everyone can accomplish unbelievable and epic things. I know we can become incredible and dominate our space- whatever that space may be. Given enough time and determination in your commitment you can become the best at anything you want. YES, I said anything you want. I have experienced this time and time again in my own life and in the lives of those incredible people I associate with. Look at the Steve Jobs’ of the world, or the Facebook king, or Warren Buffet, Michael Jordan, and so on and so on. These titans did not accidentally get successful. They built an empire through hard work, determination, commitment, and lots of intention.

I’ll share two simple yet powerful personal examples out of my own life. While I have many of these stories, the two today seem appropriate and fun: one while I was a young scrappy high school kid and the other from just 2 years ago. When I was in high school I wanted to play on the boy’s volleyball team. In southern California the volleyball teams were incredible and well respected. Many players from my regional area went on to play in the Olympics, college, and pro teams. I tried out as a sophomore and made the junior varsity team. I never played a single game. I was terrible, legitimately terrible. The upside was I sat next to the coach every game. I really got to know him well. I also worked my butt off every day in practice and demonstrated my commitment and determination to be better. I am not sure if he took pity on me or what he was thinking, but he offered to personally coach me through the off season. With his mentoring and my determination to practice every single day, I tried out for the varsity team the next year and made it on the team as a starter. I remember falling a sleep at night with a volleyball in my hands while I laid in bed and practiced setting the ball to myself. I was committed. I was determined. And in that time period I became good enough to start on our varsity team. Our team went on to compete in the state championships and many of my teammates played college ball on scholarships. It was truly an incredible transformation.

On another occasion as an adult I weighed nearly 300 pounds and was absolutely tired of feeling fat and out of control. I recall getting into triathlons and cycling. I eventually and slowly lost most of my weight and competed in 8 full distance Ironman triathlons along with countless other halves, and Olympic distances. Eventually I competed as a solo cyclist in the Race Across the West. It is a 930 mile endurance cycling race from Oceanside CA to Durango CO. With a 96 hour time limit to complete this race in you are compelled to ride without stopping, or at least keeping your breaks to a bare minimum. There isn’t much sleep to speak of with most of us cycling the first 48 hours non stop, followed with the occasional 20-30 minute power nap every 24 hours later. In 2016 I was 1 of 9 finishers and I finished in the midst of incredible adversity. I suffered from some extreme fatigue in my neck and shoulder muscles eventually contracting a condition known as Shermer’s Neck. My head fell completely to my chest and I could not lift it of my own strength at about 400 miles into the race. The pain was incredible and I had another 500+ miles to go! I had passed out, I had extreme difficulty breathing and even coughed up blood several times. The days and the nights all seemed to merge together. I had thousands of opportunities to quit and even more reasons that would seem 100% justified. In fact many of my competitors quit for much less severe adversities than I suffered with.

My point is, that ordinary people can accomplish extra ordinary things. Success is becoming a little better than you were yesterday. Regression should be your worst enemy. Forward progression should be your relentless goal. Your success can never properly be measured against the standards of your peers or the cultural expectations of your society. Success is simply giving it your best and making damn sure that your best today is better than your best was yesterday; that is success. It is in a nutshell never settling but rather always striving for your full potential. And I assure you, whatever you have now- whoever you have become now- NO MATER HOW GREAT, is not yet your full potential. If you are a millionaire, then why not be a billionaire, if you are a billionaire, then why not be a trillionaire, etc. Keep reaching. Keep pushing. Keep fighting.

Success then does not happen by accident. You can’t accidentally wake up better. You have to work hard at it. You have to be awake to who you are and who you were. You have to be awake to what you want and where you are going. Then you must act intentionally to create that. You must be committed to it like its your last breath. You must go all in. There is no half way in commitment. Then match your commitment with a level of determination that can overcome any challenge you will face. It is not a matter of whether or not you will face adversity, it is a question of how you will handle it when it rains hell fire down on you whilst you are trying to smash your goals. Hard work alone is not enough. But when you harness hard work with intention towards a clear commitment matched with unflinching determination… well that is someone I’d bet my life is successful.

Tune out the naysayers. Ignore the haters. There will always be opposition. Some of this may even come from those closest to you. Starve these feelings and instead feed the beast within. That primal beast that is unsatisfied with what you have today and who you are today. Feed that beast that wants more and wants to be better. This is key to staying focused on what you know you want to do and become. Tune them out, and only listen to you. You’ve got this. You’re incredible. If you are reading this then you are breathing, so make the changes you know you need to make. I’ve got your back. I love hanging with incredible people- happy to chat about this any time. Call me, email me, message me, Instagram me, Facebook me, tweet me, YouTube me, whatever it takes- I’m here and I want to see you reach your potential.

 

 

 

 

 

Ben Dodge, Esq., Endurance/Ultra Cyclist

 

 

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

A bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. He can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire United States. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the world. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West 2016, he really knows what it’s like to ride and race a bike. Ben is competing in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the United States every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important, but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your rights as a cyclist, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. There is never an obligation past a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback Rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.