On our annual ski trip with the family to Montana this Holiday, I decided to take a ski lesson. I took up snow skiing several years ago when my three boys were just old enough to ski. I’m an average skier, and noticed this trip that it was very difficult for me – it seemed like I was skiing to keep from crashing rather than enjoying myself.
Jim, my instructor, hit the nail on the head. “You’re fighting gravity not managing it,” he said. “Skiing is counter-intuitive when you’re flying downhill – your instinct is to lean back and this causes you to lose control of the skis.” Over the course of the lesson, Jim worked with me on a new way of thinking, and a new approach to managing my body and my skis. The mountain was not going to change, but I could change the way I managed it.
It occurred to me that life is a lot like gravity. We can fight it, or learn to manage it to get where we want to go. In our life and business, sometimes we need a new approach and need to let go of the beliefs that aren’t working. We may need to the change the way we do our business, or change the people we work with.
All of my boys are fast snowboarders. They leave me in the dust! They have a mastery of managing gravity on the slopes. I’m a life learner. I love working with the forces at play, as I create the kind of life I care about.
Sometimes, we need a lesson from someone who can look at us objectively and give us feedback. On the way to creating the kind of life we want, we may have to take actions that take us out of our comfort zone. If you find yourself struggling, take a step back. You may need a new approach. One of my teachers told me, “If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.”
The good news is that there is more help out there than ever, and plenty of people who have a passion for teaching who are willing to help you.
Here’s to Gravity.
