Lessons learned because of skiing.

[ski diva]

I love this article from Forbes. Do yourself a favor and read it. The writer started a new company, and found the courage he needed to do it from skiing.

A lot of people see skiing as a metaphor for life. So what do you think? Has skiing taught you lessons you can apply off the hill?

 

[Lilywhite]

Great article and yes many lessons learn't from skiing, trust, listening, common sense to name a few.
It also works the other way, my company has a saying "constant gentle pressure" always strive to be more efficient, effective, tidier, clearer, friendlier etc
We run bars but if you think efficient movement, effective edging, tidier body position, keeping your line downhill of someone, offering help to fallen skiers or people confused by the piste map this translates well.

 

[abc]

Skiing is the weakest of my sports so for the most part I learn from other things and apply to skiing. But the biggest thing I learn from skiing is patience is our friend.

Like right now, waiting for snow to come!

 

[Lilywhite]

ABC, not such a great year for you guys, the downside of a weather dependant sport. Hope conditions improve soon for you x

 

[mustski]

Skiing has taught me to enjoy the moment. Keep your eyes on what's ahead of you so you can plan and prepare, but remember to enjoy the exact moment you are in. Look around and enjoy the view, enjoy the people you meet along the way, ask questions, explore new territory and try new ways of doing things. The same old run with the same old line becomes boring quickly. That is true of daily life also. Do something differently than usual and the day has a whole new look.

 

[SkiNana]

Skiing brought me to Big Sky, where I have more friends in three winters (only, so far: anyone want a lake house in N. MI?) than I do in 12 years in Michigan! So I have learned that it isn't necessarily my fault if people don't seem simpatico, that sometimes it's about them!

 

[pinto]

This is kind of small potatoes in the scheme of things, but when my son was learning to drive a couple of years ago, I realized how much driving is like skiing (resort skiing, particularly). Traffic, weather conditions, speed control, adaptation, awareness, all that stuff. I mentioned it in a post somewhere, too lazy to find it, but I do think beginning drivers who have been skiers or boarders probably have quite a bit of a head start.

eta: I guess learning to drive really isn't small potatoes in our society...

 

[newskimama]

Loved the article. Although I couldn't help but wonder what happened to his friend.

Skiing definitely has taught me that there is a lot more to life than the office and how to enjoy my time with my family.

It has also taught me not to hate winter anymore! That's what got me out there in the first place!

 

[badger]

Skiing has tried to teach me not to be so hard on myself.

In arenas where I truly have real talent, it is natural to develop higher standards of personal expectations. This is motivating... but can be detrimental too.

Unlike those other things, skiing (and tennis) are these late-in-life adventures that crept into my life unexpectedly. My background isn't colored with a lot of sporting activity. However, I love being outside learning to have fun doing something new and exciting. And kicking myself over mistakes or lack of skills not mastered is stupid. I want to be open and teachable. I've learned to be more flexible in body and mind.

"Life is too important to be taken seriously."
Oscar Wilde

 

[newskimama]

Skiing has tried to teach me not to be so hard on myself.

In arenas where I truly have real talent, it is natural to develop higher standards of personal expectations. This is motivating... but can be detrimental too.

Unlike those other things, skiing (and tennis) are these late-in-life adventures that crept into my life unexpectedly. My background isn't colored with a lot of sporting activity. However, I love being outside learning to have fun doing something new and exciting. And kicking myself over mistakes or lack of skills not mastered is stupid. I want to be open and teachable. I've learned to be more flexible in body and mind.

"Life is too important to be taken seriously."
Oscar Wilde

Badger, I can sign onto that one, too! I took up both (again) in the last few years and am totally addicted! And have also had to lighten up on myself Keep it up, enjoy, and let me know if you ever need a New England companion!

 

[litterbug]

Skiing reinforces what I already knew: although it takes work and focus to learn something, I have to be willing to let go and let the moment unfold in order to do it well.

It also teaches me that it's never too late.

 

[shima]

Skiing reinforces what I already knew: although it takes work and focus to learn something, I have to be willing to let go and let the moment unfold in order to do it well.

It also teaches me that it's never too late.

Well said. It's also taught me that when you go for something you have to fully commit so as to avoid failure. If you trust that you know what you're doing and can complete it, you can. If you question yourself and don't go in at 100%, chances are you'll fail (aka fall)

 

[SkiNana]

You don't have to stop just because your quads hurt and you're tired . . . or scared, a little.
Time enough to do that when you are well and truly tired and doing more is foolhardy

 

[JeanD]

A couple of years ago I went skiing for a weekend with friends. While I learned to ski at 2, and raced until my teens, the number of times I skied in the intervening 20 (gulp) years could be counted on one hand.

So I rented skis that weekend, and had a BLAST. My skiing was rough, but it felt soooo good. I remember standing at the top of the hill at Silverstar thinking, "why don't I do this more often."

But I went back home to my hellish, demanding 80-hr a week job that had me travelling half the month. Then I got laid off that summer!

A year away from turning 40, instead of just getting another job, I made a list of all the things I wanted to be doing, and wasn't. I had always wanted to write a novel, and never found time. And I wanted to SKI.

So I sold my house, moved up island to where the ski resort is, and started writing. I still freelance in my old career to make enough money to write, and ski. Last winter my goal was to get my skiing back to where I could pass the CSIA Level 1. I passed at the end of the year.

This year I am teaching part-time, so free season pass, and loving every minute of it.

So I would say, skiing taught me that money is not enough. You have to do the things that make you happy, and if you don't have enough time for them, then something's gotta give!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

So I would say, skiing taught me that money is not enough. You have to do the things that make you happy, and if you don't have enough time for them, then something's gotta give!

Yes.
Really like this.

 

[shima]

Yes.
Really like this.

Amen, happiness is by far more important than being rich.

 

[tinymoose]

I don't know that skiing has taught me a specific lesson, but compared to other sports/activities I've done, I'm very chill when skiing, and I am NOT a chill person by nature. I'm a type-A, perfectionistic mess. But when I ski, for some reason, I don't care if I look like a doofus. I don't care if I'm not the best person out there. I just don't care. I just enjoy myself, work on improving, and just ski... me and my skis. It's like I can tune out everything around me. I'm not overly self-aware. Now if I can just figure out how to carry that over to the rest of my life, and to dancing... the striving to get better without being a perfectionist about it, and beating myself up if I don't achieve what I think I should have. I totally kill the fun for myself in my dancing soooo often, because I'm so overly critical. And being overly critical keeps me from taking chances, and in turn keeps me from really improving like I otherwise could if I just allowed myself to make mistakes.

ETA: Badger, I really need to remember that Oscar Wilde quote...

 

[CMCM]

Ha ha...Type A, perfectionistic mess....that's me, too! My skiing has been so far from perfection that this fact in and of itself has taught me a humbling lesson: I can't be perfect at skiing....well, not yet! I'm working on it!

Skiing is a very zen like experience for me, actually. I get so into my head with it, I can close out everything else, and I like that. I've gone from thinking I could never EVER become much of a skier, to just doing it over and over and never giving up, and in the process, I've gotten fairly good finally. I'm better now than I ever imagined I could be, and that delights me no end. I'm not and may never be a crazy fast or fearless skier. Somehow I think that's what I should achieve at some point, but I suspect that will not happen. I'm just too cautious a skier because at this point in life, I don't want a big injury.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Skiing has taught me patience, that you get out of something what you put into it, that a good attitude is very important and that you don't need to be an expert at something to have a blast.

 

[dianakate]

I have found that women put ourselves at the bottom of our lists of important things. I own a business and have 2 teenage daughters. Before I started skiing, my hobbies consisted of working a lot, cooking and driving my daughters to their lessons/school/parties, etc. Nothing that I truly loved to do just for me that wasn't work. I still do all the working, cooking and driving, but I also take lots of time for myself to ski. Not only am I a better person for it, but in just few years my girls will be out of the house and I am so happy to be able to look ahead and have something to look forward to doing that I love. It is important for women to have a passion (or at least like to do something) that is not related to work or family and I didn't realize this until I started skiing. So this is what skiing has taught me.