Let me challenge you with this example:

If you e.g. are good at mountain cycling you should assess if this strength is an ability you are happy with and if you can use this ability to your advantage, when training or in a competitive situation. Most would probably answer yes to pursuing this.

But if you are adept in the mountains, and you only train in the mountains in your Easter holiday once a year, then you ought to consider if your ability as a mountain rider is an advantage you should spend time and energy to improve!

On the other hand, the week during Easter could possibly be your highlight of the year and when your passion for riding is high you should mark this ability as important to improve even further. Therefore take your point of departure in your own situation and give yourself time to think things over.

Considering pros and cons to each of your strengths should be a natural part of your preparation to a new season as a bike rider using a structured training course. You should save your assessments and priorities concerning your own abilities together with your goals, training plan, journal and your statistics for the year in question.

You should train those points relatively frequently, which you have marked as important to develop in your important areas. You should focus on the important areas and not pay quite so much attention to the other points. This applies to your important strong points and your important weak points. Remember to take your outlook of cycling, job, wife and general life style into account before you mark the subjects.

This brainstorming can help you to get an overview and to point out the areas that should get your attention. Focus on your important points and tell people close to you about the list and show it possibly to your parents, wife, girlfriend and perhaps your children. Improving your cycling performances demands an effort on your part, but often also demands acceptance and understanding from your closest relatives.

Acceptance and sharing one's list of strengths and weaknesses creates respect between you and your closest relatives. This can create a mutual understanding that you are working together towards your desire to improve your performances on your bike.

• You become better at the things you focus on and this also applies in cycling. This cannot be said often enough.