Recently, I wrote a piece on lessons drawn from racing a motorcycle around a racetrack. Here's a follow-up piece with a few additional lessons:
Lesson #4: Being determined is a huge help when you're operating at the limits of your physical and cognitive abilities. Sometimes, the difference between making that fast corner at high speed and low-siding is sheer determination, or what some riders have called "L.L.B. - Look, lean and believe", which means that it will often be the rider's lack of skills that is the cause of the problem, not the limitations imposed by the laws of physics, and determination is the skill that allows you to overcome your own fear and test the limits of your machine.
→ Sometimes pushing for some extraordinary result on pure faith or intuition can be valuable in achieving the desired outcome. Being all rational and evidence-based all the time can be limiting in some instances.
Lesson #5: As demanding as riding fast around a track be, learning to ride with minimal effort and input allows you to ride longer and harder. That's why I was exhausted after 10 minute of riding and why the pros can do it for 4-5 times as long with ease. By the same token, doing some stretching and breathing after each session will keep you fresh longer.
→ When working on a demanding endeavour, taking the time to breathe, rest and relax leads to more productive outcomes. Being stuck on a chair 8 hours straight without standing up for a stretch or a cup of coffee should never be a badge of honour.
Lesson #6: Be prepared for the crash. While we hope it never happens, crashes are common around a racetrack, but thankfully, most of them only bruise egos and damage the machines. Wearing a good helmet and racing leathers will prevent 90% of the injuries, that's why tracks require them, because statistically one is bound to crash at some point.
→ Contingencies for unknown and unforeseen issues are the mark of a professional but also allow you to deal with 90% of issues without going into a panic. For the rare issues that are catastrophic, that's what insurance is for.