Balance is best, but never guaranteed
Recently, I was lucky enough to don the ski’s and hit the slopes. We woke like excited kids at 4am Friday morning and punched it down south. Having only been to the snow once before during a high school trip, upon arrival I was of course paralysed with fear.
After a few stumbles, side steps and some tutelage from an experienced snow boarder I was on my way up the chairlift ready to tackle my first descent. Throughout my experience I have three key take outs that I think can be applied to any business owner.
Commit to the turns
Turning down a steep hill with long slippery weapons attached to your feet is daunting at first, but after a few runs it can become quite exhilarating. Like in business you have to commit, there are three options. You give it a crack, point the ski’s down and get moving, you stagnate at the top of the mountain, or you take off your ski’s and trudge down the mountain in ski boots. The chairlift only really goes one way, so sometimes you have to risk falling to slide down, and hope if you do fall there’s a lesson you can apply to the next run. Which leads me to my next observation…
Falling is painful
Falling hurts. Physically, emotionally, mentally, it sucks. However, mastering a new skill means you are going to fall, sometimes it’s from a silly mistake, sometimes it’s a real blinder that pops your ACL, but from each fall you return stronger and wiser. The lesson in the fall takes time, especially when you find yourself bundled in a heap at the bottom of the slope trying desperately to free yourself from the self-imposed death traps attached to you feet. At the time you get frustrated, feel hopeless and let despair overcome you, but it will get easier, break up the mountain and try bite size pieces when things appear insurmountable.
Keep your balance, traverse the slope
Like anything in life, keeping your balance is key to traversing the slope safely, and in style. Observing the most proficient skiers I noticed the small adjustments made at every turn to glide their way down the mountain. When moving at pace using the whole mountain to traverse is critical to staying in control, the same can be applied to business. Identify your course, be prepared to adjust or pivot and when things seem to be spinning out of control or accelerating too fast use the entire terrain to wash off speed and buy yourself time to re-evaluate and avoid wipe out.
Learning a new skill is challenging and wonderful in equal measure. I am yet to find something as intoxicating as the satisfaction of a new skill mastered and a job well done.