| Living life to the full |
We were a mixed group of skiers, some virtually born to it and one member of our party had never been on skies before. He took to it like a duck to water and this was all the more amazing as he is not a spring chicken! Made me think about how often we limit ourselves and use our age as an excuse. ‘Oh, I can’t learn to do that- I’m far too old!’ ‘Can’t teach an old dog new tricks’. ‘I’m way past the days when I could pick up a new skill’. And the truth of the matter is that if you think that, then that is absolutely right. As Henry Ford once said; whether you think you can do something or you think you can’t, you are right. My friend came up the mountain and had the wonderful mindset that he was going to be ‘a natural’. Any fear he felt he put to one side and simply went for it 100%. It paid off handsomely and after a two-hour lesson he was up on the main slope with us. By the end of the afternoon he was snow-ploughing his way down the mountain turns and all. Not bad for three hours on skis. His positive mental attitude and the determination to learn to ski overcame anything getting in the way. After one day he was hooked and ready to go back and get better and better. That achievement in itself is a great motivator. So, what are you not attempting, not going for, not learning? What excuses are your favourites? Maybe age but also maybe fear, or shyness, or lack of confidence? As my friend proved if you adopt the right mental mindset and just go and do it then all those elements are overcome. We learn and grow through the doing. What new experience is waiting out there if you were just brave enough to dive in? |