Coaching Lessons Learned Through Skiing

Learn how a ski trip to Mt. Bachelor changed the perspective of the author and opened up a whole new world of experiences that had been previously unavailable.

This past weekend I went with my husband to Central Oregon to ski at Mt. Bachelor. I have been skiing for the past 11 years consistently and would classify myself as an upper intermediate to beginning advanced skier. My favorite runs are steep GROOMED terrain. Or at least, they use to be.

Prior to my adventure at Mt. Bachelor, I would look at "powder" and would turn the opposite direction. My past experience with powder taught me that powder was heavy, hard to maneuver, would throw off my balance and if I wasn't careful, I would end up on my face struggling to get out of the mess I got myself into. I loathed the stuff so, I made the conscious decision to stay clear and avoid powder situations.

When I began my first day on Mt. Bachelor, all of the skiers in my group told the instructor, "We don't do powder." I thought that would settle it. The instructor, John, first asked about my past experience and the results I had when I last skied powder. I love what John did next. HE VALIDATED ME! I was validated by being told that most people feel that same way and that there are a few secrets that will make skiing even easier and more fun. John's response caught my interest. Maybe I could learn a trick or two.

Next, John took one challenge I had experienced in the past skiing powder and gave me one simple tip to improve my balance so I wouldn't get knocked around. After helping me to understand how my body should feel, he pointed to a section of powder and said, "Go for it."

So much for staying clear of the stuff! I couldn't say "no" nor did I really want to. I was ready to give up the opportunity to get over my fear and at the same time get some great tips from an expert skier. So, I did it. My first attempt was scary and I survived. Better than that, I wanted to do it again and improve upon the new skill he had given me.

By lunch, I was actually having fun in powder for the first time ever. John was patient, held me accountable and would not let me revert back to old tendencies. He was great at calling me on small things, like when my arm position was getting lazy and my balance got thrown off as a result. When I felt frustrated, he tweaked my body position slightly and had me practice again. And when I succeeded, John was right there to celebrate with me. This entire process helped to build my confidence and confidence allowed me to feel comfortable getting uncomfortable and doing something new.

By the end of the day, I didn't recognize myself. On the last run of the day, I turned to John with a big grin and asked, "Can we ski over there?" and I pointed to a patch of knee high powder that was pleading to be skied. By the end of the weekend, I was searching for powder on every run and was skiing in and out of the trees, realizing that I had reached the next level in my skiing ability. Had I stayed at my previous level, I would have missed out on all of the fun. I can't wait until next year to go and ski some powder!

The ski weekend at Mt. Bachelor, taught me a valuable lesson about perspective and how a new experience can change a person's perspective. As a coach, I have the same power as John had with me to help my clients change the perspective of how they see past, present, and future experiences. Using similar techniques, I am able to investigate, validate, educate, direct, hold accountable, tweak, and celebrate with each and every client in order to help them reach the fun of life's next adventure. Whoo Hoo! Bring on the Powder!