Mark Scharenbroich - Nice Bike: Making Meaningful Connections On the Road of Life--

ECHO BAY PUBLISHING

MINNEAPOLIS

2010, 2021 Mark Scharenbroich

All rights reserved. No part of this bookmay be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without writtenpermission of the Publisher.

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personalenjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away toother people. If you would like to share this book with anotherperson, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Ifyoure reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was notpurchased for your use only, then please return to your favoriteebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respectingthe hard work of this author.

Editing: Susan Scharenbroich

Book Design: Robert Mott,RobertMottDesigns.com

Illustration: Matt Scharenbroich,www.MattScharenbroich.com

Published by Echo Bay Publishing

2622 West Lake Street #415

Minneapolis MN 55416

www.NiceBike.com

Second Edition

I would like to acknowledge: Our wonderfulgraphic artist, Robert Mott, for the book design. Artist MattScharenbroich for his beautiful illustrations that help tell thestory (and paid off his car loan). Friend Mark Sanborn for makingconnections with friends a high priority. My wife, Susan, who said,Just write the book already, and not only encouraged me but alsoedited every single page.

I would like to honor: Our threechildren, Matt, Mike, and Katie, who not only provide greatmaterial but have always given me unconditional love and support.My heroes: John McEwan, Leroy Radovich, Luke Osterhaus, the WinnieSix, my mom and dad, Aggie and Nubs, and my mother-in-law, Julie,for reminding me how unique we all are.

I would like to connect with you thereader. I hope this book will guide you in making meaningfulconnections on the road of life.

Thanks for investing in Nice Bike. Thegreatest connection I had with my father was through his service toour country in WWII. Part of the proceeds from the sale of thisbook will be donated to Veterans programs to help those who haveserved so many.

Mark Scharenbroich

One of the highest compliments we can giveanother person is that we really connected with them. Thatsbecause we long for meaningful connections with others. I believewe are designed to be relational, and the quality of ourconnections largely defines the quality of our lives.

Think about it: How well do you connect withyour spouse? Your kids? Your friends? Your colleagues? Yourcustomers? Have you been able to create the kind of relationshipsthat you desire? That they desire to have with you?

If there is room for a little (or even alot) of improvement, dont be discouraged. In this age of perpetualdistraction connecting is difficult. So many things prevent us fromtruly connecting in our personal and professional lives.

Some people give up trying to connect andlive in a self-imposed form of isolation.

Others attempt to connect and are frustratedby their lack of results.

A few seem to understand how to consistentlyand genuinely connect with others, and we admire them for theirability.

My friend Mark Scharenbroich not onlyunderstands the importance and power of connections, but he haswritten this simple and profound book that shows you how to doit.

Before I tell you about the book, let metell you a little bit about Mark that wont be on the dust jacket.He is a genuinely nice human beingthe kind of person youd enjoyfishing with or having a beer with, or both.

He is a clear communicator who doesnt tryto impress you with how clever he is, yet he does impress you withthe creative insights he delivers. He takes simple lifeexperiencesthe kind we all haveand extracts positive lessons. Heshares such good ideas embedded in such wonderful stories that youlove learning from him.

Now about the book: Im a biker. For thepast twenty years, Ive ridden Harleys, so I can relate to hisopening story in the book. If you want to connect with a biker,tell him or her you like their ride.

But even if youve never straddled amotorcycle, youll find yourself nodding and saying Nice Bikefrequently as you read this book and after you finish it. Thatsbecause Nice Bike isnt really about Harleys. It is about makingconnections. It is about the things you and I can easily do eachday to make meaningful connections.

Nice Bike wont give you lots of graphs andtechnical analysis (actually, it wont give you any). What it willgive you is a way to think about and look at the world that youmight have once had and lost, or that you havent yetdiscovered.

And if you take Marks advice to heart, itwill make you a better person. And youll live a fuller, richer,more connected life.

That isnt hyperbole. Its true. Trust me.Read the book, and youll find out.

Mark Sanborn, Best Selling Author of TheFred Factor,

You Dont Need a Title to Be a Leader, andThe Encore Effect

... excitement, validation,and sense

of community transform mundaneinteractions

into rewarding, fulfillingmoments

even if theyre onlybrief.

Think about the giddy emotion youfelt the last time you made a new connection with another person.Maybe it was on a long flight home with the person in the seat nextto you, at a convention, or a social gathering.

Im sure a particular experience stands outin your memories. It is an experience of finding common ground,shared interests, and mutual respect. These memories stay with usbecause excitement, validation, and sense of community transformmundane interactions into rewarding, fulfilling momentseven iftheyre only brief.

When you truly connect, you feel like youreseven years old again and youve just made a new friend on theplayground. Our ability to connect helps us be engaged with ourfamilies, be vibrant members of our communities, and becontributing team members in our businesses; it propels us throughlife.

Our overall health is determined by a numberof factors including heredity, nutrition, exercise, and socialconnections. It doesnt mean we all need to be extroverts or socialbutterflies to be healthy, but we do need human interaction andconnection.

Research by Dan Buettner and a team from theNational Geographic Society sought to uncover the secrets tolongevity, which led them to 5 places around the world where peoplereach the age of 100 at 10 times greater rates than in the UnitedStates. The team found 9 common denominators that lead to longevityin these areas, dubbed Blue Zones.

Natural movement, sense of purpose,relieve stress through downshifting, 80% rule (which means toeat until you are 80% full), plant slant (meaning a dietthat is plant-based), wine@5 (includes moderatedrinking)and the last three relate to connections: belongthrough participation in a faith-based community, put loved onesfirst, and find the right tribes through involvement insocial circles that support healthy behaviors.1

When we arent engaged with those around us,we miss some of the best experiences in life. Its the differencebetween watching a sporting event on television or being in thestadium with thousands of other cheering fans, high fiving thestrangers sitting behind you after a big play.