Michael Norton wrote a great column about the balance of life. I can totally relate to this as I have been passionate about skiing all my life.
The other day a buddy of mine was mocking Warren Miller for encouraging young skiers to throw themselves off cliffs for a few bucks or just to show off. I was kind of insulted because it’s about a lot more than that. Warren Miller is one of my heroes and if you’ve ever seen the movie “Ski Bum” which tells his life story you might understand.
My buddy is not a skier. I told him that most of these guys are experienced skiers and athletes, not just a bunch of hooligans chasing fame and fortune, but maybe they are. In their defense, I told him that these guys take calculated risks and push themselves to the limit to improve and get out of their comfort zone. They know what they are doing.
OK, maybe they have a few screws loose, but having been in that state myself, I know how to take calculated risks, whether in life or skiing. You have to take risks to get out of your comfort zone. And you have to get out of your comfort zone to grow.
But you also need to keep your balance. Skiing at any level requires balance and is risky and sometimes extreme, especially when looking down a steep chute or a long mogul run. It can make you dizzy and full of fear. You hesitate and hesitate. And that’s when the problems start. Fear stops us from doing so many things. Jumping in with both feet, hands out in front of you, looking down where you’re going, not where you were, and standing centered over your skis takes courage and balance, just like in life.
Support local journalism
You have to face life’s challenges without fear but with conviction and balance. Don’t lean too far to the right or too far to the left, stay in the middle and keep your balance or you’ll fall over. We’ve all fallen before. You just have to get back up, shake it off and keep going.
EB Wallace
plaster
