![Image by Carol [CC BY 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57f44a3d2994ca0ac876d09b/1485052338417-ZPAW8CB7NR3EOECQH412/By+carol+%28Own+work%29+%5BCC+BY+2.5+%28http%3A%2F%2Fcreativecommons.org%2Flicenses%2Fby%2F2.5%29%5D%2C+via+Wikimedia+Commons)
Image by Carol [CC BY 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons
As I sat on the subway yesterday, wondering at my luck (I caught three separate trains immediately after getting to the platform, something that never happens to me—and of course it was the day I was in no rush to get to my destination), I recalled a story I heard Derek Sivers tell on an episode of the Tim Ferriss show about his daily bike ride.
Derek struggled and sweated and basically muscled his way through his daily 13 miles. Until deciding, one day, to take it easy. This time, he glided and enjoyed the entire trip. When he checked his stopwatch, he was amazed: His ride only took about two minutes longer than his sweaty, huff and puff sessions. In his head, the ride, being enjoyable and fun, took much much longer, yet somehow, in reality, it didn't.
That's what happened to me this week, and on small occasions throughout my life. When I stop straining so hard and stop turning everything into a struggle, somehow, things just glide and smooth out.
It's just so damn hard to get into that mindset, though.