Drop In

One day, when we were out in the lineup, surfing at Porto, a Yung Tristan Young, shared a tip with me that I’ll never forget:

This wisdom rings true in skiing too.

Many-a-times, I’ve found myself at the top of the mountain, staring down, scared sh*tless, as I was about to push my limits.

Maybe I was leveling up to a Blue while still a beginner.

Maybe I was preparing to drop in on a Double Black.

Maybe I was about to launch off a heavy kicker.

No matter what stage I was as a skier, no matter what I was about to do, I knew that…

Once I decide to go, I need to just spot my first turn, then charge ahead without hesitation.

Because there’s no room to think about anything else. There’s no time to second-guess my decision. Any doubt will just serve to distract me from the execution.

I learned to be discerning about when & where I’d be dropping in. But, then, eventually, I just have to… SEND IT!

I also know that it might not always work out the way I planned. Sometimes I’ll fall. But, I can learn from that experience. And, at least, I won’t have failed due to lack of commitment.

After all, all the fun is on the other side of the fear.

So, I consistently remind myself to muster up the courage to move through the fear… to go all-in… to drop in… and SEND IT!

P.S. - all this talk of surfing distracted me from the fact that it’s almost ski season (!!!). This realization makes me a very giddy person.