4 Lessons from the slopes
I have a thing with hobbies. As in I feel like I don’t have any, that I’m one-dimensional with work.
[Cue 2 weeks in Vermont]
Hello skiing, my old hobby friend.
I reflected on the idea of hobbies while riding a quiet chairlift.
Hobbies = Fun + Learning
Four lessons I'm bringing home from the slopes
1. Don’t overthink it
Yes, you need fundamentals - the role your edges play, angles, weight distribution - but when you are actually skiing, rely on your training and trust your gut.
2. Focus where you want to go next
When you ski gates, your focus is on the next gate, not the gate you are at. The line you take through obstacles is as important as the obstacles themselves. Be one step ahead, be prepared.
3. Work hard, have cocktails around a fire
Hard work deserves its own reward. Celebrate your squad, toast your own accomplishments - even if some days it’s just making it down the mountain.
4. Community is everything
Not sure what I love more, being on the slopes or being in the lodge. A small group of people united by a shared love who recognize passion and commitment in each other and are willing to support, help, and high five.
“Excellence is the result of a journey, a journey taken by a committed individual, who begins the trip knowing her path will include a thousand failures. But the only real failure is the failure to get back up.”
