Book excerpt: It all begins with balance. This is a simple truth about both cycling and life. There are many similarities between learning to ride a bike and living a happy and fulfilling life. Like Riding a Bike: A Cycle Logical Exploration of Life illuminates these similarities and provides insight into their potentials. This book is not one of great victories or epic tours, but of the experiences, thoughts, and reflections that are a part of both the world of cycling and the journey of life. Like Riding a Bike is an inspirational guide for personal understanding and development. It uses cycling experiences as a point of departure for life lessons. But the book is not just for active cyclists; it is accessible by anyone who travels through life with more than a passing interest. The lessons and themes are based in practical reality and extend far beyond cycling. Like Riding a Bike takes an innovative approach that differentiates it from other sports and personal growth books. First, it invites readers to actively participate in the learning process. Readers are encouraged to try the cycling experiences upon which the life lessons are based, not just to apply the lessons that are derived. How many other books enable readers to prove a point to themselves rather than just take the author?s word for it? The clearer the connection to the metaphor, the greater the value of the lesson. Another innovation of Like Riding a Bike is how cycling experiences are used. Most personal coaching or growth books start with someone?s ideas about the way things should be. The author then collects or creates stories that support those ideas. In contrast, the cycling elements of Like Riding a Bike are actual experiences that do not merely reflect key points, they generate the issues and lead to the lessons. The validity of each idea is derived from reality, not idealization. Virtually all books deal with growth as a linear process. But is life actually linear? A third innovation of Like Riding a Bike is that it recognizes the cyclical nature of learning and development. While each chapter presents different topics and lessons, there is an underlying logical structure and repetition of themes that cyclically builds to the conclusion. The presentation of Like Riding a Bike is a personal dialogue between the author and the reader. This is done to draw the reader into the ideas, discussions, and lessons, and to promote personal insight. Again, the manuscript encourages reader involvement. Life is a personal exploration. What makes this concept easier to learn and apply than a book that actually starts the process for the reader? Each chapter concludes with five questions for personal reflection. Like Riding a Bike is unique in many aspects, but most importantly it gives practical advice on techniques the reader can apply to develop and pursue his or her own vision for life. It presents life lessons from a fresh perspective and provides a process for personal development. It suggests answers, yet also encourages questions. Like Riding a Bike begins by setting a foundation with the key elements of balance, motion, and vision. The book then addresses the basic skills required to find balance and establish a context for growth. The reader is led through a process for personal development that includes building on existing skills, working variety into life, stepping back when necessary, and reaching out to others for help when needed. The second half of the book further develops the themes from the first half, beginning with a section dedicated to meeting challenges. Chapters in this section address anticipating obstacles, facing challenges, understanding the ?price? of choices, and speaking up for yourself. The sec