I’m so good at overthinking, overanalyzing, and focusing on the worst-case scenario. And I’m not proud that I’m so good at bringing myself to a downward spiral! I’m committed to upgrading myself by staying in my beginner’s mindset – where I stay open-minded without preconceptions and biases, curious rather than judgmental, and ready to receive information. As someone who values growth above all else, I’ve found that cultivating a beginner’s mindset is crucial for continuous learning and improvement, both on and off the slopes. Hereby I announce that I’m making beginner’s mindset one of my default states. 

What if we approached our ski adventures with a beginner’s mind instead?

Tabula rasa

The Power of a Beginner’s Mind

I started kitesurfing a few summers ago. A new sport brought me down to my knees. Talk about humility! The instructor tells me not to pull the bar, instead trust the harness and lean back. I knew what I needed to do and what I wanted to do: not to pull the bar and close the kite. And what did I do every time I got somewhat scared? I pulled the bar! My empathy for my beginner ski students has grown. Following the instructions is hard, especially when you’re falling!

Learning a new sport is physically tiring! The simple task of keeping the kite at the 12 o’clock line was daunting. My neck gets tired. My entire body is tense. My 3-hour beginner lesson required 11 hours of deep night sleep to recover for the next lesson. Your first ski day will be your most physically tiring day.

Now, I’m in the jumping stage of my kitesurfing. I can be airborne about 5 feet and land sometimes on my board. I fall and faceplant aka superman many times. All I want is to quit and lay on the paddleboard horizontal. I cannot quit because I’m stubborn. I don’t quit once I commit. But my mind bothers me wanting to quit. I returned to my beginner’s mindset: open-minded, curious over judgment like it’s too hard, it’s too scary, it’s too…. And ready to learn new tricks, process the instructions, willing to try new drills. Stay open-minded: I’ll fall and I’ll get up.

Bringing Your Beginner’s Mind to Skiing

Whether you’re strapping on skis for the first time (or you’re a seasoned pro), there is a lot a beginner’s mindset offers on your next ski adventure.

Beginner’s mindset is a winner’s mindset.

1. Be Open: Approach each run with an open mind (What’s there for me to experience!), ready to receive instructions and learn new techniques. Delete this: I’m too old to learn skiing, I’m too stiff to ski, I don’t have flexibility, one must start skiing at a young age, one cannot learn a new sport at this age, skiing is dangerous etc. Be open and adaptable to adjust to changes in wind, snow conditions, and terrain. Remember, it’s a new you in a new environment each time you hit the slopes.

2. Stay Curious: Maintain a fresh perspective and be eager to understand the biomechanics of skiing and ski performance, instead of preconceptions and/or beliefs like the horror stories you’ve heard about skiing and/or expectations based on ski movies you’ve watched.

3. Ready to Learn: Especially embrace humility. In the skiing world, there’s always room for improvement. A humble attitude makes you more teachable. Make failure a part of learning, since in skiing, falling is part of the process. You’ll fall and you’ll get up like you did many times before in life. True failure only occurs if you choose not to get up. Embrace mistakes as essential parts of your learning journey.

Cultivating a Beginner’s Mind as you progress beyond the beginner level

If you’re not new to skiing, you might wonder how to maintain that beginner’s mindset. Here are some tips:

Challenge Yourself: Try a new type of terrain or skiing technique (short radius turns instead of long radius turns, pick a different rhythm)

Take a Lesson: Even experienced skiers can benefit from professional instruction. I teach skiing from beginner to expert level. Wink wink! Get some pointers and tips so that you can work on your technique.

Ski with Better Skiers: Surrounding yourself with more skilled skiers can push you to improve. All those tips, especially this one, can be applicable to life beyond the mountains. Surround yourself with better …

Ski Solo: Sometimes, skiing alone allows you to focus on your form without the pressure of keeping up with others.

Are you ready to embrace your beginner’s mind? I’d love to take your skiing to the next level!! Sign up below so that I can let you know when our Snow 101 online course is ready! I’d love you to start your journey to becoming a more confident and skilled skier!