June 4, 2016

I’ve been asked the question: “Why do you ride a bicycle with a loud little cheap Chinese engine on it when you own a car that sits in your driveway rotting away?”

The short answer is simple, and it’s one word: needs. Funny how often that word shows up in my writing.

Here’s a longer explanation for those who operate beyond “needs” sometimes.

I do have a car sitting in my driveway rotting away. The fact is, I once needed that car. Up until about three years ago I was hustling any job I could find and was at one point traveling 25 minutes each way to get to a job five times a week for about 33 hours of work. Then I had another job about 15 minutes away, and so on.

Then something happened — I landed a contract job that allowed me to work remotely, right from home.

It soon became clear that having the extra expense of car maintenance, registration, insurance, and large amounts of fuel was only “needed” when it was time to do things I didn’t even need to do. I was going 15 miles away to buy things I could get closer to home, or things I didn’t really need anyway. While I enjoyed those little trips, I realized they were not necessary — they wasted time and cost extra money simply for the convenience.

The reality is, I live within one mile of everything I mostly need, and I decided that if I ever truly needed to go somewhere farther, I’d save more by taking a taxi. It’s been almost three years and I have never once called a taxi to get things I don’t need. 🙂

With time, the car and the responsibilities that come with it simply fell away as a matter of priorities. No need = no priority.

Working for myself means I manage my own time and must prioritize work and goals. Living within a mile of everything is great — walking is slow, yes, but it creates long quiet stretches where nothing “productive” happens except exercise. Winter makes this harder, but that’s life. Seasons change, and so do needs.

First, I bought a bicycle, which shortened travel time and still gave me daily exercise. Then a friend mentioned motorized bicycles. I had never thought of it, but I ordered a do-it-yourself kit, installed it, and now I save even more time getting around — at almost no cost. The bike + engine + maintenance + zero registration + zero insurance + over 125 mpg + still pedals like a normal bike + conversation starter + just a basic driver’s license = a perfect solution for me, for my needs.

I don’t need to hustle to a job paying the fair both ways anymore, and I like that. I also have a regular bicycle — lightweight aluminum frame, disc brakes, simple, efficient. I don’t need anything more.

I’ve learned that pressure — from friends, family, or society — can make life seem full of exciting things that aren’t needed. Those are wants. And wants can become a burden in the pursuit of a simple, meaningful life.

When the pressure of maintaining everything accumulated, I stepped back and evaluated my true needs — versus wants imposed by others or by habit. I chose not to carry other people’s opinions into my life. It’s easy to become influenced without realizing it. But staying true to ourselves matters more than pleasing others.

Some people stretch themselves thin trying to look “normal” or “successful” to others. I wasn’t the popular kid in school, so brushing off jokes or opinions about my transportation or my backpack color comes naturally now.

I’ve owned cars when I needed them — and when I didn’t. At one point I owned a Corvette Z06, an SUV, and another car all at the same time. Did I need all of that? Of course not. I wanted it, and that’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with getting things, letting them go, and trying different ways of living.

The bottom line is this: the real achievement in life is the ability to get what you desire while still maintaining what you truly need. Achieving teaches us about ourselves and others. Everyone’s needs are different. I’m only sharing what I’ve learned about mine — and how I discovered them.

Never be afraid to be YOU.

(c) Jeremy Abram