The Gatekeeper

You don’t have to like me.
But I demand your respect.
I have earned it.

I might not know your name, and it’s perhaps better if I don’t.
Because I don’t play favorites. It’s not my job.

I don’t care what you did 12 seconds ago, or what you did yesterday, or what you did last year.
The only thing that matters now is what you do with this moment right here—what you do for the next small handful of seconds.

Every sport has a gatekeeper. A line, a flag, a clock, an opponent. This sport has me. You can be a hero everywhere else on my course, but you can’t afford to get me wrong. Getting me wrong hurts in every possible way.

But if you get it right, the people will cheer. And they won’t stop talking about what you have done. And the next generation of riders will remember, and they’ll build on your legacy.

In other words, if you treat the gatekeeper right, it can make you a legend.

Video by Mind Spark Cinema.

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