Riding Into the Wind

The work that matters doesn’t wait for comfort

When the wind is strong—when the windchill cuts you like a knife—those are the days that tell the truth.

It’s easy to romanticize the work during the dog days of summer. Blue skies. Long light. Energy everywhere. Everyone shows up when it’s warm, when momentum feels automatic, when effort blends into the background noise of a good day.

But that’s not when the real work gets done.

The work that matters happens when no one wants to be out and about. When the streets are quiet. When the air hurts your face. When every instinct says, not today. Those are the days that separate interest from commitment.

It’s almost impossible to explain this to someone who hasn’t felt it. You don’t think your way through those moments—you decide. You step forward anyway. You lean in when the wind pushes back harder. You keep moving even when progress feels invisible.

Because purpose doesn’t check the forecast. Advocacy doesn’t wait for perfect conditions. Change doesn’t arrive on warm breezes—it’s forged in headwinds.

You have to be ready to ride into the wind.
Even when it’s very, very cold.

Especially then.