Team AGR Moto2 Racer Jayson Uribe: Dealing With Adversity

[MotoAmerica]

Photo by Rebecca Uribe

Following a forced layoff due to a hand injury, 16-year-old Jayson Uribe is now "rehabbing" on his motorcycle, riding supermoto in preparation for his FIM/CEV Repsol Moto2 European Championship debut in April.

Every living being faces adversity in his or her life. Adversity comes in different colors, forms, and shapes, yet it affects all of us much the same way—heartache, struggle, loss of motivation, and so on. What sets a leader apart from followers, however, is how they deal with adversity.

I recently wound up in a hospital for surgery on my left hand. As I stared at the ceiling in my room waiting for the sun to rise, all I could think about was the crash. I analyzed every detail I could remember trying to conclude exactly what happened and how I could make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Later that evening, I started thinking about riding. Would this crash end my racing career? Would I ever swing a leg over a motorcycle again? Will I be able to pull in a clutch lever? All of those questions and more were swirling around in my head.

Flash forward a few weeks and I am back where I was before: lying in a hospital bed waiting for surgery. Except this time all I could think about was getting better. Everything inside me was determined to heal as quickly as possible and get back on a bike.

After seven weeks I was able to work the clutch. Having been off a motorcycle for that long, I needed reassurance that I could indeed still ride. When that lever hit the handlebar with metal pins still sticking out of my finger, I knew I could keep riding. At that point, everything changed for me mentally. I was so grateful for my family and doctor. All of our hard work had paid off.

My training was limited for a while, but it became less of a hassle and more of a blessing. When the pins came out of my finger and the doctor said, “You’re good to go,” my life improved 100 percent. After two weeks of catching up physically, I finally felt subtle improvements. I had a new sense of determination; every day got better and better.

I love what I do. I love working as an apprentice for my father in his electrical contracting business. I love helping riding organizations teach fellow riders. I love being on a motorcycle. For the first time in my life, I was faced with an outside force that could have ended my racing career. I got through it with help from my family, friends, and sponsors, to all of whom I am grateful.

When it comes to dealing with adversity, you have a couple of options: a) You can roll over and accept what is coming to you; or b) you can take a stand and fight. The power of positive thinking and determination is in all of us. We just need the right mindset to harness it.

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